HARGEISA — Authorities in Somaliland have decided to remove Hargeisa’s mayor, Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge, and his deputy, Khadar Noor, in a move expected to take effect on Wednesday, according to official sources familiar with the decision.
The two men are accused by the administration of failing to resolve escalating disputes and unrest in the capital, which officials say have triggered deepening social and clan divisions and pose a threat to overall security in Hargeisa.
Regional leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, is seeking to finalize the process while he is out of the country, prompting an acceleration of the decision, sources told Horn Africa News. The move follows intense internal deliberations, including a high-level meeting of the national security committee, where the plan was formally endorsed after what insiders described as a fierce debate among cabinet members.
The political struggle surrounding the mayoral post has intensified in recent days, with rival factions within the local council and the administration backing competing candidates. A group of ministers is supporting engineer Abdirisak Wiiwaa as a replacement candidate, and lawmakers aligned with his camp have reportedly gathered at a hotel in Hargeisa ahead of Wednesday’s vote.
Meanwhile, supporters of Deputy Mayor Khadar Noor have been holding separate consultations in the city as they prepare their strategy for the anticipated council session.
Uncertainty also surrounds whether Mayor Mooge will participate in the vote. Sources say he had initially considered resigning from both his mayoral post and his seat on the local council upon the expiration of his term. However, he now appears to have shifted his position and may instead support the candidacy of Wiiwaa, potentially aligning himself with the administration’s preferred outcome.
If Mooge were to step down before the vote, Khadar Noor would automatically assume the role of acting mayor — a scenario strongly opposed by the faction backing Wiiwaa, which is said to have the support of both the administration and the current mayor.
An extraordinary session of the Hargeisa local council is scheduled for Wednesday morning, where members are expected first to vote on the dismissal of the current mayor and deputy, followed by the election of new leadership if the motion passes.
The developments come at a sensitive time as Somaliland prepares to mark its annual May 18 independence celebrations, raising concerns that the political standoff could further inflame tensions in the capital.
Authorities have not yet issued a formal public statement detailing the decision, but officials say security measures are likely to be heightened in the coming days.
