Somalilandsun: Since refusing to facilitate elections in February , president Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo is forcing Somalia towards a new phase of instability devoid of Alshabaab participation
Following the indefinitely postponed elections slated for 8th February the country that was slowly getting out of list as World’s longest non function state is faced with a dismissal future.
Known to be a scene of bloodshed occasioned by Alshabaab militants who are battling both the Somalia army and international troops for control of the country, skirmishes are now between forces loyal to the Farmajo administration and militias aligned with his many political opponents .
The bad blood has led to formation of new political alliances, international calls for expedite elections and pledge of security to the opposing political forces.
In a new alliance president Madobe of Jubaland regional state has joined forces with the Senate Speaker
The new alliance, the National Salvation Council (NSC), was formed following a series of meetings between March 14 and 18 in Mogadishu.
Its founding members are all political heavyweights in Somalia and brought together by one motive only, opposition to President Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo and his administration. Reports ABDULKADIR KHALIF for the East African.
They include the 15-member Coalition of Presidential Candidates (CPC), the presidents of Jubbaland and Puntland States, two of the five Federal Member States (FMS) under the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
The group selected Senate Speaker Abdi Hashi Abdullahi to lead the association, with the help of former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe and Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni.
Speaker Abdullahi, who hails from Somaliland, is an ardent unionist and a hard-hitting opponent of Farmaajo whose term in office lapsed on February 8, but remains in Villa Somalia following flopped elections.
The announcement comes at a time the FGS was expected to negotiate with regional leaders on the implementation mechanisms of the indirect electoral system agreed upon on September 17, 2020.
The entrance of the National Salvation Council (NSC),into the fray of the Murky political scene playing out in Mogadishu has also resulted in an unprecedented move in which the over 20,000 strong African Union Mission-AMISOM has pledge intervention.
In a statement the #AU Special Representative & Head of #AMISOM, Amb F Madeira revealed that security shall be accorded all leaders attending election related meetings in the country. Read the full statement below https://t.co/nSqGi8QbIBhttps://t.co/nSqGi8QbIB
The AMISOM intervention on issues elections in addition to the international calls for an expedited conduct of elections, has failed to deter Farmajo from pursuit of occupying @villasomalia at all costs.
This determination to cling to office has seen him, Farmajo , continue to utilize the national security forces in very unconventional manners.
Last month immediately after postponement of elections , Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) forces closely aligned with President Farmajo attacked his opposition twice, including at a demonstration, over the course of barely 24 hours between February 19 and 20.
Despite a local and international outcry Farmajo has not only been unfazed but become brazen.
His latest use of the now Politicised section of the Somalia army is deployment of troops to Gedo region a flashpoint of the election crisis.
Another is the reported deployment of Turkish trained crack army units to the Aden Adde international airport in Mogadishu.
While Somalia’s political dispute is an internal matter the continued misuse of crack foreign trained Military personnel and hardware like armoured personnel carriers donated by Qatar and Turkey by the Farmajo administration to oppress political opposition and suppress democratic civilian protestors, cries for caution for it might and shall lead unless stopped to instability in the whole Somali peninsula & Horn of Africa region.
In a nutshell, it is the Farmajo supporting international community onus to bring matters to a peaceful conclusion, solely conduct of free , fair and timely elections .
By Yimoha Pasha
