Political situation in Somalia continue to worsen following the official term expiry of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo on Monday 8th February 2021. The crisis deepened after the country’s opposition leaders categorically said they no longer recognize President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed whose term expired with no agreement on how to replace him.
The Horn of Africa nation was supposed to hold indirect elections before February 8, but the deadline was missed as the central government and federal states failed to break a deadlock over how to proceed with a vote during the recent talks in Dhusamareb.
The coalition opposition leaders in a joint statement called for the creation of a transitional national council to govern the Horn of Africa nation until elections can be held and noted that they will not accept any singular effort to extend the term of President Farmajo.
President Farmajo was seeking a second term through indirect elections that were scheduled to be held late last year but was extended. Clan leaders from each member state were set to choose the members of parliament, who would then elect the president.
Last week, President Farmajo and Prime Minister Hussein Roble held three days of talks with the leaders of five federal member states in the town of Dhusamareb, located about 500 kilometers north of the capital, Mogadishu in an effort to solve the political dreadlock. However, the talks failed to reach a compromise and subsequently leaders of the federal states of Puntland and Jubaland have said they will no longer recognize Mohamed as president.
Upon the expiry of President Farmajo’s terms on February 8., there were celebrations in the capital Mogadishu, an indication that quite a substantial number of Somalis have been unhappy with Farmajo’s administration.
The political stalemate in Somalia has attracted attention of the international community with the U.S. weighing in and urged President Farmaajo and Somalia’s national leadership to act now to resolve the political impasse that threatens Somalia’s future and find agreement with Federal Member State leaders to allow the conduct of parliamentary and presidential elections immediately.
The U.S. noted that the political gridlock of the past year has resulted in a disappointing lack of progress in fighting Al-Shabaab and improving security, advancing economic development after achieving the first stage of debt relief, and effectively addressing the food insecurity and natural disasters that threaten far too many of Somalia’s people.
