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Puntland expels MP Jibril over federal-backed Las Anod conference
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    Tuesday July 15, 2025


    Lawmakers in Puntland’s House of Representatives vote to expel MP Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril during a session in Garowe on July 15, 2025. Speaker Abdirisak Ahmed Said (right) presided over the proceedings as members raised their hands in support of the motion.

    Garowe (HOL) — Puntland’s regional parliament on Tuesday voted to expel MP Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril for attending a federal government-backed conference in Las Anod that Puntland lawmakers say violated the region’s constitutional principles and territorial sovereignty.

    The vote passed with 38 lawmakers in favour, one opposed, and four abstentions. Speaker Abdirisak Ahmed Said presided over the vote. Jibril, who previously served as Speaker of Parliament from 2019 to 2023, was not present for the session.

    The conference, held under the auspices of the Federal Government of Somalia, aimed to formalize the status of SSC-Khaatumo, a self-declared local administration that seeks autonomy from both Puntland and Somaliland. Las Anod, the administrative center of SSC-Khaatumo, has been at the center of a bitter territorial dispute between the two regions.

    Puntland lawmakers say Jibril’s recent activities go beyond political disagreement and constitute active support for dismantling Puntland’s territorial authority. In a joint statement, Puntland authorities condemned the federal government’s involvement, calling it a violation of Somalia’s federal arrangement and a destabilizing move in a contested area.

    His participation in the Las Anod conference came just days after he appeared in the Sanaag village of Ceelbuh to rally support for aligning the region with SSC-Khaatumo.

    The Las Anod event, backed by Villa Somalia, is viewed in Garowe as part of the federal strategy to exert control over contested Harti-majority areas that seek autonomy from both Puntland and Somaliland.

    Somaliland also issued a separate statement rejecting the conference, characterizing it as a breach of its territorial jurisdiction. Both administrations warned that federal interference in disputed areas could escalate regional tensions and undermine fragile political balances.

    Jibril’s removal is one of the most high-profile expulsions from Puntland’s parliament in recent years and signals growing unease over federal-state relations. Lawmakers who backed the motion said the decision was necessary to protect Puntland’s sovereignty and uphold constitutional order.

    Supporters of the ousted MP criticized the vote as politically motivated, arguing that engagement with the federal government should not result in expulsion. They warned that the move could stifle legitimate political expression within the federal framework.

    With the vote, Jibril loses his parliamentary immunity and formal standing within Puntland’s political structure. It remains unclear whether he will mount a legal or political challenge to his removal.

     





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