# Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) > Somalia's Justice and Solidarity Party: its launch in May 2025, leaders, membership figures, results in the 2025 and 2026 votes, and the criticism it has faced. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/government/justice-and-solidarity-party/ Last checked: 2026-11-13 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## What is the JSP? The [Justice and Solidarity Party](/en/institutions/politics-of-somalia/) is Somalia's ruling party. Its Somali name is *Xisbiga Cadaaladda iyo Wadajirka*. Some outlets translate it as the "Justice and Unity Party" ([AllAfrica, 14 May 2025](https://allafrica.com/stories/202505140443.html)). President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched it in Mogadishu on 13 May 2025. He became party leader and its candidate for the next presidential election ([Garowe Online, May 2025](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/analysis-power-consolidation-somalia-s-hassan-sheikh-launches-party-before-2026-vote)). It is his third party, after the Peace and Development Party of 2011 and the Union for Peace and Development of 2018. See [Union for Peace and Development](/en/government/union-for-peace-and-development-party/). ## Who is in it? At the launch, the party set up a leadership council with a leader, four deputy leaders and a secretary general ([Goobjoog News](https://en.goobjoog.com/fgs-fms-political-heavyweights-take-key-posts-as-president-mohamud-unveils-news-party)). Prime Minister [Hamza Abdi Barre](/en/people/hamza-abdi-barre/) attended and became deputy chairman (same source). [Goobjoog](/en/economy/somali-media-companies/) reported that federal and state leaders took key posts. Garowe Online described the party as a merger of political groups allied to the leaders of South West, [Hirshabelle](/en/states/hirshabelle/) and [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/). Teams from [Jubaland](/en/states/jubaland/) and [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) were not part of it ([Garowe Online, May 2025](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/analysis-power-consolidation-somalia-s-hassan-sheikh-launches-party-before-2026-vote)). **Leadership changes in 2026** - **March 2026:** Secretary-General Odawaa resigned, citing a "deepening breakdown in leadership" ([Dawan Africa, 26 Apr 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/leadership-reshuffle-in-somalias-ruling-justice-and-solidarity-party)). - **April 2026:** Hussein [Sheikh](/en/regions/sheikh/) Mohamud, a former senator and the President's adviser on constitutional affairs, became Secretary-General. MP Hussein Mohamed Noor "Dhagaweyne" became Deputy Secretary-General (same source). ## How many members does it have? The party began signing up members in December 2024, before its formal launch ([Dawan Africa, 26 Apr 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalias-ruling-party-targets-2-million-members)). In April 2026 its Secretary-General gave these figures (same source): - **Online registrations:** 1,032,727. - **Active members:** more than 197,000. - **By region:** South West had the most sign-ups, then Banadir, Hirshabelle and Galmudug. Puntland and Jubaland had small numbers. - **Target:** two million members. He said: "This shows we have strong public support and trust, and that we can lead one-person, one-vote elections" (same source). ## How has it done in elections? Parties must register with the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission under the Political Parties law of November 2024 ([SONNA, Nov 2024](https://sonna.so/en/parliament-approves-political-parties-and-unions-federal-government-of-somalia-act/)). The JSP won the most seats in each direct vote held in 2025 and 2026: - **Mogadishu (Banadir) district councils, 25 December 2025:** 177 of 390 seats, ahead of Towfiiq (49) and Ramaas (42). Twenty parties stood ([Dawan Africa, Apr 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalias-banadir-region-swears-in-390-local-councillors)). Key opposition parties boycotted the vote ([Hornreview, 25 Dec 2025](https://hornreview.org/2025/12/25/somalias-elections-first-direct-vote-in-decades-sparks-tension-hope/)). - **South West local councils, May 2026:** 148 of 297 seats ([Dawan Africa, 14 May 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/hassan-sheikhs-party-wins-majority-seats-in-south-west-state-council-elections)). - **Galmudug assembly rerun, 30 September 2026:** 67 of 89 seats ([Dawan Africa, 2 Oct 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/justice-and-solidarity-party-wins-big-in-galmudug-re-run-election)). The Supreme Court had annulled the first vote of 30 July on 24 August 2026 ([Dawan Africa, Aug 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalias-supreme-court-annuls-galmudug-elections)), and the party said it would accept the rerun ([Dawan Africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalias-ruling-jsp-to-accept-galmudug-vote-rerun-after-supreme-court-annulment)). - **Hirshabelle assembly, 30 September 2026:** 78 of 99 seats, and 158 of 222 local council seats ([Dawan Africa, 3 Oct 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/justice-and-solidarity-party-wins-78-seats-in-hirshabelle-assembly-election)). See [Elections in Somalia](/en/institutions/elections-in-somalia/) for every vote. ## What have critics said? - **Puntland:** its President, [Said Abdullahi Deni](/en/people/said-abdullahi-deni/), called the party a "power grab" and a threat to the federal system ([Garowe Online](https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/puntland-calls-somali-president-s-new-political-party-a-power-grab-and-a-threat-to-federal-system)). - **Opposition:** opposition leaders said the party undermined unity and federalism ([Radio Dalsan](https://radiodalsan.com/english-news/289197/somali-opposition-accuses-president-hassan-sheikh-of-undermining-unity-federalism-through-new-political-party)). - **Centralisation:** critics quoted by Horseed Media said it could concentrate power in Mogadishu ([Horseed Media](https://horseedmedia.net/somalia-president-mohamuds-new-party-could-centralise-power-critics-warn/405410/)). - **Supporters:** a federal minister called the launch "a milestone for democracy" ([Halqabsi, May 2025](https://halqabsi.com/2025/05/minister-daud-hails-launch-of-justice-and-solidarity-party-as-milestone-for-democracy)). ## Related pages - [Hassan Sheikh Mohamud](/en/people/hassan-sheikh-mohamud/) - [Elections in Somalia](/en/institutions/elections-in-somalia/) - [Tayo](/en/government/tayo-party/) --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.