Region
Jubaland State of Somalia: Kismaayo (Kismayo), history and leaders
Jubaland is the southern member state formed in 2013 from Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba, with Kismaayo as its working capital. Ahmed Mohamed Islam "Madobe" has led it since May 2013. His third term, from November 2024, is disputed by the federal government, and the two sides have been in talks since October 2025.
How it began
On 28 February 2013 more than 500 delegates met in Kismaayo to plan a state for the three Juba regions. They approved a provisional constitution on 2 April 2013 and elected Ahmed Mohamed Islam "Madobe" president on 15 May 2013 (Jubaland).
The federal government at first opposed the process. On 28 August 2013 the two sides signed an agreement in Addis Ababa: a Juba Interim Administration under Madobe for two years, and federal management of Kismaayo's port and airport after six months, with the revenue kept for Jubaland's services and security. The UN envoy Nicholas Kay called it "a breakthrough" (Jubaland).
Land and people
Bu'aale is the capital in law; Kismaayo is the working capital and largest city. Jubaland covers about 110,000 square kilometres along the Kenya border. Population figures differ widely, from about 2.5 million to 3.4 million (Jubaland). Lower Juba alone had about 1.2 million people in January 2026 (EUAA 2026). Many clans live here, among them the Ogaden, Harti and other Darod groups, the Somali Bantu (Jareer), Biyomaal, Tunni and the Bajuni (EUAA 2025). No clan owns the state.
Jubaland and the federal government
Madobe won a third term in a regional vote on 25 November 2024. The federal government said the vote happened without it, both sides issued warrants for each other's leaders, and Jubaland suspended ties. Federal troops left Jubaland after clashes in December 2024 (Jubaland). Jubaland suspended cooperation in January 2025, and talks have run since October 2025 (Heritage Institute, 2025).
Sources differ
The federal government and Jubaland disagree on whether the current mandate is valid. We set out both and take no side.
What it means for people
Al-Shabaab still holds much of the countryside, including Jamaame. Over 34,000 people were newly displaced in Lower Juba from April 2025 to February 2026 (EUAA 2026).
Where this state fits
Article 1 of the 2012 provisional constitution says "Somalia is a federal state". The idea runs through every major peace text from Cairo in 1997 onward, and the 2004 Mbagathi conference adopted it (Heritage Institute). Two or more regions may join to form a member state. Each state has its own leader, parliament and constitution, and works with the federal government in Mogadishu. See the overview page on how the federal system works.
Sources
- Jubaland · en.wikipedia.org
- EUAA 2026 · euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025 · euaa.europa.eu
- Heritage Institute, 2025 · heritageinstitute.org
- Heritage Institute · heritageinstitute.org
Gathered in our research record “Somalia's political landscape, 2012 to 2026”. Wikipedia is used only as a backup.
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Where this matters
- Garbahaarrey (Garbaharey) and GedoGedo is the south-western region on the borders with Kenya and Ethiopia, with Garbahaarrey as its capital and about 1 million people.
- Bu'aale (Buale) and Middle JubaMiddle Juba is a farming region on the Juba river in the south, with about 447,000 people.
- Kismaayo (Kismayo) and Lower JubaLower Juba is the far southern region on the border with Kenya, with the port city of Kismayo (Kismaayo) as its capital and about 1.2 million people.
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