HARGEISA, Somaliland — (HornPost) The death of a woman who had recently given birth at Hargeisa General Hospital has triggered a political dispute between Somaliland’s opposition KAAH party, hospital authorities and security officials over the circumstances surrounding her death and the quality of medical care she received.
The woman, identified by relatives as Nimco Jama Yusuf, was described as a low-income rural woman from the Geed-Dable area who had been at the hospital for several days after giving birth to a baby boy.
According to Hargeisa General Hospital authorities, Nimco died after experiencing severe psychological distress and subsequently taking her own life inside the hospital.
The hospital’s deputy director said the incident was not caused by medical negligence or a lack of hospital services. Hospital officials said the circumstances had been reviewed in coordination with the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the woman’s relatives.
Some of Nimco’s relatives, speaking at her funeral, also acknowledged that she had been experiencing significant stress, although accounts of her condition varied among those who spoke publicly.
Opposition Raises Questions
The incident has nevertheless become a political issue after KAAH party spokesperson Abdirashid accused the government of failing to provide adequate protection and services to vulnerable citizens.
The spokesperson said the woman had been neglected at Hargeisa General Hospital, a claim that hospital management and some of the deceased woman’s relatives have rejected.
The KAAH spokesperson later said he had been summoned to the CID in Hargeisa after speaking publicly about the case. Police authorities did not publicly provide details about the reason for the summons.
KAAH’s leadership subsequently said it would not allow its spokesperson to appear before investigators, arguing that he had spoken in his official capacity as a party representative rather than as a private individual.
The opposition party said it would not accept what it described as intimidation or threats against its officials.
Senior KAAH politician Omar Sayid said the development represented an unprecedented use of security institutions in Somaliland’s political competition.
“This is the first time in history that security institutions are being used in competition among national political parties,” Omar Sayid said.
He also warned that if the president and officials around him were not respecting the law, “Hargeisa will be a place where everyone is affected.”
Police Reject Claims of Hospital Negligence
Somaliland police officials have rejected what they described as misinformation surrounding the hospital incident.
A police spokesperson said claims that Nimco died as a result of neglect or inadequate medical treatment were inaccurate.
According to police, the CID, Hargeisa General Hospital administration and the woman’s relatives reached a common understanding that her death was not caused by alleged neglect or failures in hospital services.
Police also warned that action could be taken against officials who refused to comply with a summons from the Criminal Investigation Department.
The dispute has therefore expanded beyond the circumstances of Nimco’s death to include broader questions about hospital accountability, opposition-government relations, freedom of political expression and the role of security institutions in Somaliland’s political affairs.
The case remains politically sensitive, with KAAH maintaining its allegations and hospital and police authorities rejecting claims that the woman’s death resulted from medical negligence.
