Somalia News

Jubbaland officials cite Nairobi-based lawyer “for fanning the brewing armed conflict in Gedo region”

Published

10 months ago

July 3, 2023

KISMAYU—Nairobi-based lawyer has been singled out as the mastermind behind the brewing armed conflict in Gedo region of Jubbaland.

Said Ibrahim Ogle, the Jubbaland minister for Interior said advocate Ahmed Dheere has been offering financial and logistical support to what her termed as “political outfit with ulterior motives” in Gedo region.

“Ahmed Dheere and others have been sending financial support to the group camped at Beled-Hawo, and their intent is to cause anarchy as well as destabilise the fragile political and security situation in the area,” Ogle said in a statement seen by Kulan Post.

He regretted that Nairobi “is lately playing host to figures and outfits hellbent on giving insurgent groups the much-needed space to divert the attention away from combating the growing threat of Al-Shabaab, Kenya’s number one enemy.”

Said Ibrahim Ogle, the Jubbaland minister for Interior (Twitter)

Dheere was also cited by the Jubbaland administration for hosting Barre Adan Hiraale in Nairobi before he flew out to Mandera where he spent a night, and later joined the Gedo faction alongside Abdirashid Janan.

Hiraale was ousted from Jubbaland more than a decade ago by fighters led by President Ahmed Madobe and Kenyan forces. Hiiraale was also the chairman of the now defunct Juba Valley Alliance, which controlled Southern and Southwestern Somalia, including the nation’s third-largest city, the strategic port town of Kismayo. During his time in office, Hiiraale presided over the country’s largest autonomous area, as well as commanding an extensive militia.

According to minister Ogle, Dheere “mobilised $187,000 in financial aid meant to purchase weapons and military logistics.”

“We also have evidence that he (Dheere) also spearheaded the mobilisation of some $35,000 that financed an uprising at Garbaharey town against the legitimate administration of Gedo region,” Ogle noted.

Ahmed Dheere was not available for response at the time of publishing this story.

Earlier last month, the president of Jubbaland Ahmed Madobe appointed a new governor for the Gedo region which has been the epicentre of a multi-faceted political dispute.

Madobe named Abdullahi Abdi Jama as the governor of Gedo region, while Osman Noor Haji Moalimou becomes his deputy on security and politics, and Nasteh Ahmed was assigned to serve as the deputy governor on finance.

A week later, a plane carrying the newly-appointed administration was denied landing rights at Garbaharey airstrip. On the weekend of the incident, the VOA Somali reported that the political tension has been rising since Abdullahi Farmajo, the immediate former president of Somalia, left the office in mid last year.

“The politicians serving the interest of Abdullahi Farmajo won’t be allowed to deny the people of Gedo a chance to get an administration that is led and served by the residents. The administration is there to cater for their rights to basic social services. They had their time and there’s nothing to show for it. This is our time and we have the mandate to serve what the people expect of us,” Ogle said in a presser days after the Garbaharey airstrip incident.

Local political analysts believe that the latest political and conflict-ridden activities in Gedo region could not have come at a worse time. It’s happening at the backdrop of plans to reopen the Immigration operations in Mandera border post and the ongoing heightened anti-Shabab onslaught by the Jubbaland administration and the Kenyan forces based in the area.

The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla visited the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops operating under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to establish their level of preparedness to degrade the Al-shabaab militia.https://t.co/kmj0KJeici pic.twitter.com/pje1Bk7AFq

— Kenya Defence Forces (@kdfinfo) July 3, 2023

On Friday, The Chief of Defence Forces Gen Francis Ogolla at the weekend visited Kenyan troops in Somalia as part of a morale boost ahead of a major planned operation against the al Shabaab terror group.

He also held talks with Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe, which officials said was to ensure the planned operation on the terror group succeeds.

Al Shabaab’s major bases are in the Gedo region where they recently staged a show of their troops. This also comes ahead of the planned withdrawal of regional troops from Somalia amid increased attacks by the al Shabaab terrorists.