Monday October 19, 2026
Beledweyne (HOL) — Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein has dismissed Hiiraan regional Governor Mohamed Hussein Mohamed Arab and appointed Muse Salad Weheliye as his replacement, according to a presidential decree announced Monday.
The spokesperson for the Hirshabelle presidency said the decision followed a recommendation from the regional administration’s minister of interior and local government.
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The spokesperson confirmed that Gudlawe had signed the decree formalizing the dismissal and appointment.
The leadership change comes days after the Hiiraan regional administration raised concerns about the distribution of tax revenue collected from the livestock market in Beledweyne.
The dismissed governor had questioned the allocation of revenue collected in Beledweyne to other localities, arguing that some areas receiving the funds lacked services or infrastructure that would justify their share.
In a recent interview, Mohamed Hussein Mohamed Arab also criticized what he described as an unequal distribution of livestock market revenue, saying it was unfair for some areas to receive a larger share than others.
It remains unclear whether the dispute over tax revenue played a role in his dismissal. The Hirshabelle presidency has not publicly linked the decision to the disagreement.
The leadership change comes amid political tensions in Hirshabelle as the regional administration prepares for its presidential election.
Gudlawe, the incumbent president, is seeking another term amid disagreements over the electoral process and demands by some Hiiraan politicians and community leaders for a broader political agreement on representation and power-sharing.
The appointment of Muse Salad Weheliye places new leadership in Hiiraan at a sensitive time for the region, where disputes over governance, resource allocation and political representation remain unresolved.