On 11th February, during an African Union (AU) in Addis the Capital of Ethiopia, President Muse Bihi of the Republic of Somaliland, a prosperous and peaceful country north of Somalia, met Mohamed Farmaajo of Somalia. Farmaajo, hard pressed to explain his desperation about breaking Federal Member States leadership and his obsession with Somaliland asked President Bihi to arrange a state visit for him in Hargeissa, the State Capital of Somaliland, as soon as possible. Muse did not turn down nor accept the request, instead the shrewd politician told Farmaajo to wait unit he consulted his people back home.
Back home, Bihi’s Political intelligence team listened to the public and policy makers and there was a strong opposition to such a visit. Farmaajo’s intents are both subversive and political. Somalilanders are proud of their sociopolitical and economic achievements and allowing a saboteurs like Farmaajo will reverse gains made over decades. The East African region fractures and the constant dragging of Ethiopia in its domestic-political agenda hurts Ethiopia’s good stead. Intentionally, the flashing of the Ethiopian card is meant to hoodwink players and victims into the con game and indirectly forcing them to look at Ethiopia skeptically. Worse, the cheesy oaf is desperate to win a second term and Hargeisa doesn’t want to be dragged in Somalia’s divisive electoral politics.
Already there are more anti-Farmaajo sentiments flowing from various quarters including the opposition leaders in Hargeisa. According to Engineer Faisal Ali Warabe, the leader of opposition in Somaliland, “a President who cannot visit Jubbaland, Puntland, and Galmudug must not be allowed to visit Somaliland”. Faisal could have made a perfect stooge for Farmaajo, but this level headed view tells away the pride and patriotism of the Somalilander’s and their disdain for Farmaajo.
Farmaajo had scheduled a visit to Gedo but cancelled it. No one want’s him there too. In Galmudug, political and security upheaval remains at all-time high after Farmaajo’s interference with the electoral process that saw the imposition of a Pro-Mogadishu leadership, something that didn’t go-down well with other dominant sociopolitical players. The rejection by Hargeisa embarrasses the irredentism maestro and the destroyer of FMS Political order. It is a wake-up call. He can’t always have his way and that in politics, one must respect both friends and enemies.
