Somalilandsun: While the very existence of Somalia is solely secured courtesy of a broad consortium of international players the president Farmajo led federal government has shown disregard thence not to beholden to these partners.
The just concluded federal government and state administration’s meeting in Dhusamareeb exemplifies the litany of the myriad instances that a beneficiary, President Farmajo- Somalia has defied his financial backers, even after coffers are filled.
The Dhusamareeb meeting hosted by the Galmudug regional administration was a last minute effort to break the Somalia presidential elections initially slated for 8th Feb this year.
The impasse does not only persist but the latest failure to agree the various issues in contention over the now once again delayed elections, putting the federal government on the opposite pile with some regional States will surely exacerbate acrimonies.
For Somalia’s International Partners the failure of the Dhusamareeb meeting is likely to be the one final stray that broke the Carmel’s back.
“International partners again call on all of Somalia’s leaders to find consensus on electoral implementation as an urgent matter of national interest” read a joint statement released in Mogadishu on the 4th Feb, the second day of the three days Dhusamareeb meet.
According to the 27 IC Partners signatories “ any alternative outcomes, including a parallel process or partial elections, or other measures short of an agreed electoral process, would be a setback that would not obtain the support of partners.
Now let’s see if the international community with a stake in Somalia where billions of never accounted dollars are disbursed annually shall finally see the light , a blessing for the Republic of Somaliland, whose Sovereignty the IC has refused to acknowledge for three decades.
Now Who were the players in Dhusamareeb and what led to agreement failure?
Those in Attendance for five days were Somalia President Mohamed Abdilahi Mohamed Farmajo and President’s of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South-western and Benadir regional administrations while those from Puntland and Jubaland appeared for days.
The issues on the table of which all including the IC Partners wanted resolved included the disputed Gedo regional elections between Mogadishu and Jubaland, tenure of government/president, election commission and the representation by alleged members representing Somaliland in the Somalia Parliament.
Gedo
The issue of Gedo region, which was the most difficult issue that hindered the conference from reaching an agreement, eventually leading to a split.
The region’s dispute between the central government and Jubaland has dragged on since the disputed election, in which the Somalia federal government refused to recognize the result that incumbent President Ahmed Madobe won the election.
Both authorities accuse the other of refusing to concede for the sake of the wide good a situation made worse by the prevalence of foreign intervention read Kenya , According to the Farmajo cabal.
To resolve the dispute the federal government wants Jubaland to nullify the election of Madobe as president and go back to polls, this is anathema to the regional administration which having accused Farmajo of interference in internal affairs wants the federal government to keep away, that is desist and stand down for the election of Madobe as president is fait accomplice
Thus the stand-off intensifies and subsequently affects federal government presidential elections once again.
Foreign Interference
According to the federal government’s information minster the hand of a foreign power in Jubaland regional state politics is obvious and of major concern.
This allusion has led to acrimonies between Somalia and Kenya that have culminated with severed diplomatic relations, ongoing despite failure of reconciliation efforts by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development-IGAD, a Horn and East African regional block.
The Somalia federal government which is currently engaged in an armed conflict with Jubaland accuses Kenya, without tangible proof, of stoking the fires by hosting, arming and trading Jubaland state militia under the command of regional interior Minister Abdirashid Janan
Skirmishes between these forces have killed a number of civilians, injured many in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya’s Mandera county.
The Kenyan government has distanced itself from the alleged interference by denied the said support to renegade Abdirashid Janan, saying the conflict is a matter for Somalis and Somalis alone to solve.
Selection of Members of Parliament Representing Somaliland
Since taking office president Farmajo has made Somaliland his personal forte to garner political clout , though Somalia has no administrative jurisdiction since 1981 when the former British protectorate to the north withdrew from a 1960 voluntary later turned union with Somalia.
Somaliland efforts to secure international recognition as a sovereign nation are hampered by a number of issues like AUs fear of session, which Somaliland is not, EU, UNs, USA and others claim that it is matter solely for Mogadishu and Hargeisa solve.
This anomaly has given President Farmajo a never closing window to bash the Somaliland quest at every door both regionally and globally, especially as pertains to division of funds from international donors, and subsequent demand that Authorities in Hargeisa kowtow just like those of the five regional States he roughshod’s over.
This has seen President Farmajo engage in diplomatic battles with any country that entertains the government of Somaliland using the interference of Somalia’s internal affairs as his clarion call.
Latest to taste this have been Kenya and Guinea not to mention Taiwan
With his claim that Somaliland is a regional administrations under the Somalia federal government ,the contentious issue of who is responsible for the selection of alleged members from the north has been boiling and Dhusamareeb failed to resolve.
To Somaliland where reunion with Somalia is an avowed never, any citizen who owes at anytime allegiance to unionist tendencies thus serve in Mogadishu is a traitor.
So it’s await and see on what next steps will taken to ensure that Farmajo gets what he wants come the elections.
Tenure
Regional and federal administrations are also embroiled in major difference over the tenure of an elected government at the federal level, read president.
This was again not resolved thus giving Farmajo whose re-election bid is opposed by over 15 individuals of high standing among them two former Presidents.
The failure of the conference comes just two days before President Farmajo’s term in office.
