Over 100 Somali Lawmakers Demand Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Resignation Amid Beledweyne Hotel Attack

Mogadishu, (Idil News) – More than 100 members of Somalia’s Federal Parliament have called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to resign, accusing him of leadership failures as the country grapples with mounting security and governance challenges.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the lawmakers from the House of the People urged Mohamud to step down “for the good of the nation,” arguing that his tenure has plunged Somalia into a “dangerous phase” requiring urgent political intervention to preserve national stability.

The appeal follows a deadly terrorist attack on the Qaahira Hotel in Beledweyne, which the parliamentarians cited as evidence of the president’s inability to ensure citizens’ security. They said;

We share our thoughts and condolences with the families and relatives of the civilians killed in the vicious terrorist attack on the Qaahira Hotel.

The MP’s also added

The attack was a sign that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has neglected and failed to secure the Somali people.

The UN-backed federal government has been battling an insurgency led by al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, for nearly two decades. The Beledweyne attack, which killed more than 15 civilians, exposed persistent vulnerabilities and intensified scrutiny of Mohamud’s administration.

Opposition argue that despite pledges to bolster security, his government has struggled to stem the violence that continues to destabilize the Horn of Africa region.

History repeats itself

This is not the first time Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has faced parliamentary backlash. During his first term as president in 2015, Somalia’s parliament passed motions of no confidence against him twice, prompting intervention by the United Nations to stabilize the political situation. Mohamud, who returned to power in 2022 after defeating president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, has yet to respond publicly to the lawmakers’ latest demands.

The call for his resignation comes at a critical juncture for Somalia, which is also contending with clan tensions, a humanitarian situation driven by drought, and the constitutional crisis. The lawmakers warned that without decisive action, the country’s fragile institutions risked collapse.


Idil News desk, Jibril Qoobey


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