Let us speak plainly to the people of Puntland: security comes before politics, and survival comes before symbolism. Today, Puntland is not in a position to host grand political conferences, opposition summits, or anti–Villa Somalia theatrics—not while rebellious, infiltrated, and politically weaponized forces remain active inside its urban centers.
The uncomfortable truth is this: no serious political gathering can take place in Garowe—including any meeting of Golaha Mustaqbalka Soomaalia—unless Puntland first neutralizes internal security threats festering within its own cities. Conferences do not create power. Control does.

Laascaanod: The Mask Slips
The arrival of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Laascaanod yesterday has brutally exposed Puntland’s vulnerability. Hundreds of Puntland rebellious elements were seen operating as part of Mohamud’s security escort, donning the uniform and cover of the Somali National Army (SNA). This is not symbolism; it is penetration. When armed elements hostile to Puntland can seamlessly play the role of a federal president’s protection detail, the message is unmistakable: the lines between federal forces and factional militias have collapsed—and Puntland is paying the price.
This was a live demonstration of how Puntland’s internal fissures are being instrumentalized by Villa Somalia. The spectacle in Laascaanod was not merely a visit; it was a security rehearsal, a warning shot that Puntland’s house is exposed while Mogadishu tightens its game.

The Urban Threat No One Wants to Name
Garowe and other Puntland towns are increasingly porous. Political agents, clan militias masquerading as activists, sleeper cells, and foreign-aligned spoilers operate freely—protected by silence, denial, and political cowardice. This is not conjecture; it is visible reality.
In such an environment, hosting a high-profile political conference would be reckless—an open invitation to sabotage, humiliation, or worse. Puntland cannot posture as a fortress of opposition while its internal defenses are compromised.

A Leadership Vacuum at the Worst Possible Time
While Puntland’s security situation deteriorates, President Said Abdullahi Deni spends months abroad—detached, distant, and disconnected from the daily anxieties of his people. Leadership by passport stamp is not leadership. A state under pressure requires a resident commander-in-chief, not a frequent flyer.
Meanwhile, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is playing long-game chess—co-opting rivals, fragmenting opponents, manipulating timelines, and exploiting every vacuum left by distracted adversaries. Puntland, by contrast, is playing checkers: reactive, predictable, and fatally slow.

Politics Without Security Is Suicide
Those dreaming of turning Garowe into an anti–Villa Somalia stage must wake up. Political defiance without internal security is performative nonsense. Puntland risks becoming a cautionary tale—loud in rhetoric, hollow in control.
History is unforgiving to regions that confuse talk for power.

A Warning to the People of Puntland
This is not an attack on opposition politics. It is a warning against self-delusion.
Secure the cities first. Here there is no need for panic. It needs adequate security preparations to address the threats:
Neutralize hostile elements—regardless of clan or cover.
Restore discipline within the security services.
Demand presence, not absentee leadership.
Only then can Puntland speak with authority—locally, nationally, and internationally.
Until that happens, any talk of hosting opposition conferences in Garowe is not bravery.
It is recklessness dressed as resistance.

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