Hargeisa (WDN) — Five lawmakers from the North Eastern administration have arrived in Hargeisa, where they were formally welcomed by Somaliland officials after announcing their defection from the administration they previously represented. The lawmakers were initially received in the town of Gabiley before traveling to Hargeisa, where they publicly explained their decision to leave the administration in which they had served as members of the regional legislature.

Speaking to local media, several of the lawmakers accused Somalia’s Federal Government of failing to genuinely support or recognize the interests of their communities. They argued that their decision followed what they described as growing dissatisfaction with Mogadishu’s policies toward their region.

“We have come to realize that the greatest challenge facing our people is the Federal Government of Somalia,” one of the defecting lawmakers said during the reception.

The defections have drawn considerable political attention, as they come amid heightened tensions over Somalia’s constitutional future, federal relations, and competing political visions between Mogadishu and Somaliland.

Adding to the political significance of the event, Fahiima Quuje, who participated in welcoming the lawmakers, suggested that the latest defections are unlikely to be the last. “This will not be the final reception,” she said, expressing confidence that more political figures would follow the same path in the coming months. She used the Somali proverb “Faanoole fari kama qodna,” implying that actions—not rhetoric—would ultimately demonstrate the momentum behind the movement.

If additional defections materialize, they could signal a broader political realignment among leaders from northern regions, potentially strengthening Somaliland’s claim that its political project continues to attract support from figures previously aligned with other administrations.

Whether the latest move proves to be an isolated incident or the beginning of a wider shift remains to be seen. However, the public statements made during the reception suggest that Somaliland’s leaders expect more politicians to cross over in the near future, a development that could further reshape the political landscape in northern Somalia.

WardheerNews