Baidoa (WDN) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Baidoa on Monday to attend the inauguration ceremony of Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Aden Madobe) as the head of South West State, in a visit that unfolded under exceptionally tight security and against the backdrop of an unresolved political crisis.

The President and his delegation were welcomed at Baidoa Airport by South West State leader Aden Madobe and other regional officials before proceeding to the South West Presidential Palace. Upon arrival, President Hassan inspected a ceremonial guard of honor mounted by units of the Somali National Armed Forces.

The visit coincided with the formal inauguration ceremony for Aden Madobe, attended by senior federal officials, leaders of several Federal Member States, members of parliament, government ministers, military commanders, and other invited dignitaries.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre also arrived in Baidoa leading a high-level delegation that included cabinet ministers, lawmakers, and senior security officials. Leaders from Hirshabelle and Puntland, the Acting Speaker of the House of the People, the Governor of Banadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu, and other senior officials were also present for the ceremony.

Despite the official celebrations, the political atmosphere surrounding the event remains highly polarized. Opposition figures and supporters of former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen” continue to dispute the legitimacy of the political transition that brought Aden Madobe to office. They argue that the process departed from established constitutional, and federal norms, while the Federal Government has maintained that the transition was conducted lawfully and in accordance with its constitutional responsibilities.

The inauguration therefore takes place against a backdrop of continuing political divisions over the future of South West State and the broader federal system.

The security arrangements surrounding the presidential visit reflected the sensitivity of the political environment, with federal security forces deployed extensively across Baidoa and Turkish Drones flying in the skys of Baidabo to secure the event.

While the ceremony marks the formal beginning of Aden Madobe’s administration, it is unlikely to end the wider political dispute over the leadership of South West State, which remains one of the most contentious issues in Somalia’s evolving federal landscape.

WardheerNews