The new Mayor Abdirisaq Wiiwaa and Deputy Mayor Aden Mideye will lead Somaliland’s capital for the remainder of the Hargeisa Council’s mandate after a historic vote removed the previous leadership.
HARGEISA – Hargeisa entered a new political chapter Tuesday after the city’s local council voted to remove Mayor Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge and Deputy Mayor Khadar Ahmed Omar before electing engineer Abdirisaq Mohamed Farah, widely known as “Wiiwaa,” as the new mayor of the Somaliland capital.
Council members also elected engineer Aadan Jama Hadi, known as “Mideeye,” as deputy mayor during a session held at Hargeisa City Hall.
The two officials will jointly oversee the administration of Somaliland’s political and economic capital for the remaining two years of the council’s extended mandate.
The leadership vote followed a contentious council session chaired by the governor of Maroodi Jeex Region and attended by regional council members.
Political analysts described the development as unprecedented in Somaliland’s modern democratic history, marking the first time an incumbent mayor of Hargeisa has been formally removed by the local council since the adoption of the territory’s multi-party political system.
“This is a historic political moment for Hargeisa,” one political analyst in the capital said. “Regardless of political loyalties, the removal of a sitting mayor through council procedures sets a major precedent in Somaliland’s democratic evolution.”
Extraordinary session reshapes city leadership
The motion to remove Mooge and his deputy was formally submitted Monday, one day before the decisive council vote.
Council members backing the motion accused the outgoing administration of failing to effectively carry out municipal responsibilities and cited broader administrative concerns surrounding governance and city management.
A rival bloc supporting candidate Khadar Noor boycotted Tuesday’s session, underscoring divisions inside the council chamber during the highly scrutinized proceedings.
Wiiwaa, who entered the council in 2021 under the opposition Waddani Party, pledged after the vote to prioritize cooperation and urban development in the rapidly expanding capital.
“Thank God, the extraordinary session ended peacefully and respectfully for us,” Wiiwaa said after his election. “I promise to work for you and take the task further, God willing.”
He called on council members to work collectively on improving municipal governance, infrastructure and public services.
“We must cooperate, exchange ideas and work together for the development of Hargeisa,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Mideeye was elected from the ruling Kulmiye Party, creating a cross-party municipal leadership arrangement that analysts say could either stabilize the council or generate new political bargaining inside City Hall.
Mooge’s exit follows mandate extension controversy
Mooge, who assumed office alongside Deputy Mayor Khadar Ahmed Omar on June 17, 2021, had previously indicated he intended to step down as his original term approached expiration.
However, political tensions intensified after Somaliland House of Elders approved a 27-month extension in April for the mandates of local councils and the House of Representatives, effectively extending the political calendar and prolonging municipal leadership disputes.
The extension drew criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups, who warned it could deepen political uncertainty and institutional tensions.
Analysts say the extension became a catalyst for escalating rivalries inside the Hargeisa council, where competing alliances increasingly clashed over the future direction of the capital’s administration.
Solteco vote sparks national debate over unity and tribal politics
One of the most discussed moments of Tuesday’s vote involved former Hargeisa mayor Abdirahman Solteco, whose ballot during the leadership contest was widely interpreted as prioritizing political consensus and civic unity over clan-based alignment.
The gesture quickly gained attention across Somaliland, with residents, activists and political commentators describing it as a symbolic rejection of divisive tribal politics.
“This was not just a vote inside a council chamber,” one Hargeisa resident said after the session. “It was a message to the country that leadership should be based on unity and public interest, not tribal divisions.”
On social media, many Somalilanders praised Solteco’s decision as “statesmanlike” and “patriotic,” reflecting growing public frustration over clan-centered political competition.
“In Somaliland politics, gestures matter,” a local political observer said. “When a senior political figure chooses consensus over clan calculations, it sends a powerful signal, especially to younger generations.”
The episode reignited wider national debate about the role of clan identity in Somaliland’s democratic system and whether future politics should increasingly revolve around governance, institutional accountability and economic development rather than traditional loyalties.
Hargeisa’s political significance
As Somaliland’s largest city and economic center, Hargeisa occupies a central role in the region’s political landscape.
The municipal administration oversees critical public services, infrastructure projects, urban planning and reconstruction initiatives in one of the Horn of Africa’s fastest-growing cities.
Analysts say the council transition could shape broader political dynamics across Somaliland as the territory continues seeking international recognition while attempting to preserve internal stability and democratic credibility.
For many residents, Tuesday’s developments represented not only a leadership transition but a broader test of Somaliland’s political institutions.
“People want stability, unity and accountable leadership,” a university student in Hargeisa said. “The way leaders behave during moments like this matters for the future of Somaliland.”