MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Concerns are mounting in Somalia’s capital as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud remains out of public view for over a week, prompting widespread speculation and uncertainty about his whereabouts.
The President, who had been highly active on social media and regularly appeared in public, has not been seen since his official visit to Egypt on July 7, where he held a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Al-Alamein Palace, according to a brief statement from the Somali presidential spokesperson, Abdirahman Adan. No further details were provided about the visit.
On July 11, Villa Somalia’s official social media accounts published photos of President Hassan Sheikh in Ankara, Turkey, stating that he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
However, none of the presidential staff — including the spokesperson — are reported to have accompanied him to Turkey.
Sources close to the presidency told Kaab TV that all staff members who travelled with the President to Cairo have since returned to Mogadishu, while the President himself did not return with them.
Reports suggest that only members of his immediate family remained with him during the Turkey leg of his trip, making it difficult to obtain credible updates about his current activities or location.
Prolonged absence has sparked growing concern
The prolonged absence has sparked growing concern among Somali lawmakers. Member of Parliament Dahir Amin Jesow spoke out during a public event in Mogadishu last week, saying, “As of today, the President of this country is being searched for. No one knows where he is.”
Despite public concern, Villa Somalia has so far remained silent on the matter.
The President’s disappearance comes at a time of heightened insecurity, as the Somali government continues to battle Al-Shabaab militants, who still control large areas near the capital.
Lawmakers warn that the President’s absence during such a critical period poses serious risks to national security and governance.