Former  Somali Speaker Resigns From Opposition Party Leadership

Somalia, 21 November 2025 — Somali MP and former Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman has resigned from his position as Deputy Chair and member of the National Development and Unity Party, citing political differences and a change in direction.In a formal resignation letter dated 21 November 2025, Mursal said his decision was based on disagreements over the party’s political vision, which he said no longer aligned with his personal principles and objectives.“I have decided to resign from the position of Deputy Chair and from membership of the party in order to maintain my political independence and freely focus on the issues I believe are important for the country’s political future,” Mursal wrote.The resignation comes days after Mursal signed a political agreement in Nairobi with South West State President Abdiaziz Mohamed Hassan Laftagareen.The agreement was formally finalised in Mogadishu today, despite the two previously holding opposing political positions.All the main actors in this development — Mohamed Mursal, Laftagareen, and former Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden — are politically and regionally linked to South West State, underscoring the localised nature of the realignment.The National Development and Unity Party, which includes former Somali Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden among its senior figures, was formed after members of the former opposition coalition reached a political understanding with the Federal Government.The party received official recognition from the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) earlier in September 2025.President Laftagareen is a member of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), led by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, placing Mursal’s move within a broader context of shifting political alignments.Political observers say the resignation and subsequent alliance signal a possible realignment ahead of evolving political negotiations involving federal and regional actors.