Hirshabelle Vice President accuses President Hassan Sheikh of breaking leadership pledge

Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Hagar Dabageed has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of breaking a political pledge regarding the leadership of the Hirshabelle region.

Speaking to Hawadle elders and politicians in Mogadishu, Dabageed claimed that the Hawadle community had previously agreed not to oppose the federal government on the condition that their clan would be considered for the Hirshabelle presidency during the upcoming transition. Dabageed stated that President Hassan Sheikh had initially assured a delegation led by Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan that the presidency would be allocated to a Hawadle candidate.

However, Dabageed alleged that the President later met with him and other politicians individually to announce he had reversed this commitment. According to the Vice President, the President instead decided to back the outgoing Hirshabelle President, Ali Abdullahi Hussein Gudlawe. Dabageed expressed disappointment, noting he had expected the President to honor the agreement reached with the clan's representatives.