KISMAYO (Kaab TV) – Displaced people in Kismayo, Jubaland, held a protest today following reports that the Somali federal government had blocked food aid intended for them.
IDP representatives and elders in Kismayo told Kaab TV that the aid blockade is tied to ongoing tensions between the federal government and Jubaland authorities.
They accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of being responsible for the blockade, which has left thousands of displaced people, including those with special needs, without critical assistance.
Farhiyo Ali Omar, an IDP woman living on the outskirts of Kismayo, pleaded for the federal government to lift the restrictions.
“I request President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to lift the sanction on us. We are not into politics; we were displaced by the recent flooding, and now we are facing hunger,” she said.
Jubaland’s Second Deputy President, Abdikadir Haji Mohamed, also criticized the federal government, alleging that it is politicizing humanitarian aid.
“Humanitarian aid should not be politicized. This will affect the country’s governance,” he said.
The protest underscores the worsening relations between Mogadishu and Kismayo, with frequent disruptions to local flights, particularly the Mogadishu-Kismayo route.
Civilian populations remain increasingly vulnerable due to the ongoing political disputes and conflicts between Jubaland and the federal government.