By Salahudiin Ahmed - Reporter
Somalia (Dawan Africa) 2 May 2026
Speaker of the House of the People Aadan Mohamed Nur Madoobe, said on Friday he will run for President of South West State, prompting legal debate over whether a sitting federal lawmaker can contest a regional leadership post.
What is the constitutional question?
The key issue is whether Madoobe can run while serving as Speaker and a member of the Federal Parliament.
Under both the 2012 Provisional Constitution and the 2026 Federal Constitution, there is no explicit provision barring a federal MP or the Speaker from contesting the presidency of a federal member state.
Legal questions arise, however, if he wins and accepts the post.
What does the 2012 Constitution say?
The 2012 Provisional Constitution outlines grounds for losing parliamentary membership.
Article 59(1)(e) states that a member may lose their seat if they accept “a government office other than a ministerial position.”
The presidency of South West State is not a ministerial role, meaning that accepting the post could trigger loss of parliamentary membership under this provision.
What does the 2026 Constitution say?
Related articles
The 2026 Federal Constitution sets out similar but broader provisions.
Article 81(1)(f) states that membership may be lost through “acceptance of another government office at the different levels of government.”
This wording explicitly covers positions at other levels of government, which could include federal member state leadership.
What do the two constitutions have in common?
Both constitutions distinguish between candidacy and holding office.
They do not clearly prohibit a federal MP from running for a regional presidency, but they provide a legal basis for loss of parliamentary membership if the individual accepts another government role.
What does this mean for Madoobe?
If Madoobe only declares his candidacy, neither constitution appears to require him to step down as Speaker or MP.
If he wins and accepts the presidency of South West State, however, both constitutions provide grounds for arguing that he would lose his parliamentary seat, with implications for his position as Speaker.
Conclusion
Neither the 2012 nor the 2026 constitution clearly bars Aadan Madoobe from running for South West State president. However, accepting the office could trigger provisions requiring him to relinquish his seat in the Federal Parliament.