Author: Abdihakim Siyad

The future of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia is still being debated in diplomatic rooms, but on the ground, the transition of security responsibilities is already becoming visible. The latest sign came from Buurhakaba in Somalia’s Bay region, where Ethiopian forces serving under AUSSOM handed over their forward operating base to Somalia’s 60th Division after nearly 12 years of deployment. The handover, reportedly completed on August 8, marks another significant moment in Somalia’s long-running effort to move from dependence on foreign security forces toward full national ownership of its security. The timing is particularly important. The…

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has delivered one of his strongest messages yet to the country’s international partners, accusing elements of the international community of continuing to view Somalia through the lens of its darkest years  when the country lacked functioning national institutions and depended heavily on external actors to manage its affairs. Speaking in Mogadishu during the opening of the National Agri-Food Investment Summit, NAFIS 2026, Prime Minister Barre challenged what he described as an outdated mindset towards Somalia, arguing that the country has undergone significant political and institutional transformation and should increasingly be treated as a sovereign state…

The battle for Wajir’s gubernatorial seat in 2027 may ultimately be decided not only at the ballot box, but much earlier inside the political machinery of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). And as two increasingly confident aspirants position themselves for the ruling party’s ticket, the contest between former Wajir West MP Ahmed Kolosh Mohamed and Dr Hassan Mohamed Fuje is beginning to look less like an ordinary gubernatorial race and more like a struggle over who has the strongest political network, the deepest national connections and the ability to command the ruling party’s machinery when the nomination moment arrives. The…

For Omar Artan, the past 18 months have taken him from the highest point of his refereeing career to one of its most difficult moments and now back to another historic stage. On Wednesday in Salzburg, the 34-year-old Somali referee will walk onto the pitch to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winners Aston Villa, becoming the first non-European referee to officiate the prestigious fixture. It is an appointment that carries significance far beyond one match. Just weeks ago, Artan was preparing for what would have been the defining assignment of…

President William Ruto and ODM party leader Oburu Oginga have moved the broad-based government into a new political phase after UDA and ODM formally agreed to develop a joint manifesto and form a coalition to contest the 2027 General Election together. The announcement, made during the ongoing political retreat in Naivasha, transforms the relationship between the two parties from cooperation in government into an electoral partnership, setting the stage for negotiations over power-sharing, leadership positions and the political architecture of a possible second Ruto administration. President Ruto said the decision followed consultations within the two political formations and would provide…

The Horn of Africa has entered a new phase. Ethiopia is seeking a way out of the geographical constraints imposed by its lack of direct access to the sea, Eritrea has once again become a country that must be taken seriously, Kenya is expanding its diplomatic role, while the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have become arenas where multiple international interests are competing. At the same time, regional powers are building new relationships. Israel and the United Arab Emirates are seeking new avenues of influence as well as security and economic partnerships, while Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan…

Wajir County is facing a growing accountability question over millions of shillings reportedly raised or allocated for the benefit of residents, with attention now turning to Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow and the need for a clear public account of how these resources were received, managed and utilized. At the centre of the debate are three significant figures: more than KSh 40 million reportedly raised by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and other leaders at Orahey Ground in August last year; KSh 10 million reportedly handed to Jehow by President William Ruto at Habaswein ahead of the 2026 Madaraka Day celebrations; and…

Abdulqaadir Maxamed Nuur “Jamac” has been elected Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, securing a decisive victory over his rival Abdulqaadir Omar Macallin “Daada” in Monday’s parliamentary vote. Jamac received 142 votes, while Daada garnered 30 votes, with a total of 174 Members of Parliament participating in the election. The result places Jamac at the helm of Somalia’s lower house of Parliament at a politically sensitive period, marked by intense debate over constitutional amendments, electoral arrangements and the country’s broader political direction. Jamac’s election follows an intense lobbying campaign in which the Federal Government and its allies backed his…

Somalia’s political landscape is entering another tense moment as lawmakers prepare to elect the next Speaker of the House of the People, with the government throwing its weight behind Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama in an increasingly competitive race for one of the country’s most powerful constitutional positions. Jama and Abdulkadir Omar Moallim “Daada” are the final two candidates cleared to contest the speakership, following the issuance of their official candidacy certificates by the parliamentary electoral committee. Members of the House of the People are expected to vote on Monday, August 10, 2026, to determine who will…

President William Ruto and senior leaders from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are meeting in Naivasha as the broad-based government enters a more politically sensitive phase, with the two parties beginning to confront the difficult question of how their cooperation in government can be transformed into an electoral partnership for the 2027 General Election. The two-day retreat at Lake Naivasha Resort brings together governors, deputy governors, Members of Parliament and senior political figures from the two parties at a moment when the political calculations surrounding the next election are becoming increasingly clear. What began…