MOGADISHU, Somalia – Jubaland authorities have claimed that its police force foiled an attempted coup against President Ahmed Madobe, amid escalating tensions over his defiance of Somalia’s central government’s push for unified elections.
Captain Abdikahim Hassan Arte said he was offered $90,000 to lead a plot to remove Madobe from office. He alleged that the funds came from Mohamed Fanah, the former mayor of Badhaadhe town, who has recently aligned himself with the central government.
In a pre-recorded video, Arte stated that the money was meant to secure his support for the government’s efforts to oust Madobe, who had defied its electoral process by holding an indirect election that resulted in his re-election.
In a statement seen by Mareeg Online, Jubaland authorities accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre of being behind the alleged coup. They have yet to respond to the accusations.
Political analysts suggest that President Mohamud has been working behind the scenes to weaken Madobe’s leadership, without resorting to open violence that could lead to political fallout.
The strategy, analysts say, was to win over Madobe’s closest military commanders, offering them promotions and financial incentives in exchange for their loyalty to undermine his power from within.
This strategy led 200 regional soldiers to defect to Somali National Army (SNA) forces stationed in Raskamboni. They were then flown to Mogadishu for registration, payroll integration, and rank promotions as a reward for their defection.
The plan had been working smoothly since last week, until Thursday, when local media released leaked phone conversations between Madobe’s police commanders and those loyal to the central government. This unexpected turn of events left President Mohamud questioning what went wrong.
Mohamud also has hundreds of special forces trained by Turkey stationed in Raskamboni, a town about 274 km south of Kismayo where Madobe is based. After the failure of his plan, many are now questioning whether he will resort to military action to deal with Madobe.
