Political parties and movements
Union for Peace and Development (UPD) and the Peace and Development Party (PDP)
The Peace and Development Party (PDP) was founded in April 2011 with Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as chairman. He won the presidency in 2012. In October 2018, out of office, he launched the Union for Peace and Development (UPD), formed from the PDP, the Daljir Party and the Horseed caucus. As UPD leader he won the presidency again on 15 May 2022. In May 2025 he launched a new party, the Justice and Solidarity Party.
What were these two parties?
Both were parties led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia from 2012 to 2017 and again from 2022. The Peace and Development Party came first, in 2011. The Union for Peace and Development (UPD) followed in 2018 and absorbed it.
From 2012 to 2022 Somalia's President was chosen by members of parliament, who were themselves chosen by clan delegates. Parties could not stand in elections as parties. They served as platforms for candidates (Elections in Somalia).
The Peace and Development Party, 2011
The Peace and Development Party (PDP; Xisbiga Nabadda iyo Horumarka) was set up in April 2011. Its members elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud chairman unanimously that month, for three years (Alshahid, 20 Apr 2011). He was then a university founder and civil society figure (Sabahi, 17 Aug 2012).
WardheerNews wrote in 2012 that party leaders had ties to Al-Islah, the Somali branch of the Muslim Brotherhood (WardheerNews, 11 Sep 2012). The Counter Extremism Project also describes this link (Counter Extremism Project, Muslim Brotherhood in Somalia).
On 10 September 2012 parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud President. He beat Sharif Sheikh Ahmed by 190 votes to 79 in the second round (VOA, 10 Sep 2012). See the 2012 presidential election.
On 8 February 2017 he lost to Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed "Farmaajo", 97 votes to 184, and conceded (UNSOM, 8 Feb 2017).
The Union for Peace and Development, 2018
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched the UPD (Xisbiga Midowga Nabadda iyo Horumarka) in Mogadishu on 4 October 2018 (Goobjoog News, 4 Oct 2018). Hiiraan Online reported that he would serve as interim chairman for six months before members elected a leader (Hiiraan Online, Sep 2018).
- Who formed it: the Peace and Development Party, the Daljir Party and the Horseed caucus of MPs (Wikipedia, UPD).
- Its name: the founders first planned "Union for Peace and Democracy", but changed it after an objection that a party with a similar name existed (same source).
- Its outlook: Wikipedia describes it as socially conservative, mixing nationalism and moderate Islamism (same source).
- Its first congress: in mid-April 2019 members elected the party leader, executive and central body (same source).
- Its allies: in October 2019 the UPD joined the Forum for National Parties, an opposition alliance chaired by Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (same source).
Back to power in 2022
On 15 May 2022 parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud President for a second time. He beat the sitting President, Farmaajo, by 214 votes to 110 in the third round (Garowe Online, 15 May 2022; Al Jazeera, 15 May 2022). See the 2022 presidential election.
What came next?
On 13 May 2025, ahead of the move to direct elections, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched the Justice and Solidarity Party (Garowe Online, May 2025).
Related pages
Sources
- Alshahid, 20 Apr 2011 · english.alshahid.net
- Sabahi, 17 Aug 2012 · sabahionline.com
- WardheerNews, 11 Sep 2012 · wardheernews.com
- Counter Extremism Project, Muslim Brotherhood in Somalia · counterextremism.com
- VOA, 10 Sep 2012 · voanews.com
- UNSOM, 8 Feb 2017 · unsom.unmissions.org
- Goobjoog News, 4 Oct 2018 · goobjoog.com
- Hiiraan Online, Sep 2018 · hiiraan.com
- Wikipedia, UPD · en.wikipedia.org
- Garowe Online, 15 May 2022 · garoweonline.com
- Al Jazeera, 15 May 2022 · aljazeera.com
- Garowe Online, May 2025 · garoweonline.com
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Where this matters
Same era
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Keep reading
- Political parties laws of Somalia, 2016 and 2024Somalia's federal laws on political parties: the 2016 Political Parties Law, the 2024 law passed with the new election laws, the debate over limits on the number of parties, and party registration for the 2027 elections.
- Waddani (Somaliland National Party)Waddani, the Somaliland National Party: founding in 2012, leaders, every election result from 2012 to 2024, and its place among the three national parties.
- Kulmiye (Peace, Unity and Development Party)Kulmiye, Somaliland's Peace, Unity and Development Party: its founding in 2002, chairs, two presidents, and every election result from 2002 to 2024.
- UCID (Justice and Welfare Party)UCID, Somaliland's Justice and Welfare Party (2001 to 2024): founder Faysal Ali Warabe, its social-democratic programme, every election result, and how it lost party status.
- Kaah (Kaah Alliance for Equality and Development)Kaah, Somaliland's newest national party: founding in 2022, its leader Mohamoud Hashi Abdi, the 2024 party contest, its alliance with Waddani and its positions since.
- 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.