Tension has been high in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu for a couple of weeks running since the term President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo expired on February 8. The lawmakers of the lower house of parliament in what has been termed as unconstitutional move voted thereby extending his term, spontaneously the outcome aggravated the already escalating situation in Mogadishu and its environs.
The president has faced pressure from all corners. The international community threatening to pull out the support on the unstable Federal government besides US threatening with sanctions to those derailing the election process further.
Fast forward, Farmajo’s close ally, the PM of Somalia joined Hirshabelle and Galmudug in rejecting term extensions. Galmudug and HirShabelle were the two of three Federal Member States that have supported President Mohamed Farmaajo, now announced that they support the September 17 agreement and urged leaders to resume to electoral talks immediately. Prime Minister Mohamed Roble immediately welcomed the decision in a statement.
Early on Wednesday, Somalia’s president bowed to growing opposition pressure to his extended stay in Villa Somalia and called on return to negotiations in an effort to break the current political stalemate. In his statement, he vowed that the sight of soldiers allied to Federal Government and those of loyal to Federal Member states clashing in Mogadishu streets would not happen again.
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo delivered the national address after midnight following unprecedented turn of events, characterized by chaos in the capital. In his address, the president did not resign as it was anticipated, but instead noted that he will speak to parliament on Saturday to inform them of developments now he is ready to go ahead with elections based on the Sept. 17 agreement between his government and regional states, which the international community had emphasized.
The president had not commented publicly since hundreds of soldiers opposing his term extension took up positions in the capital on Sunday and clashed with other security forces loyal to the opposition. Alarmed by the escalating situation, the United Nations, African Union, United States and others on Tuesday warned against the “emerging fragmentation” of the Somali National Army along clan lines saying the situation could plunge the country back to war crisis to the advantage of the Islamist militants.
Chaos in the capital in have seen some residents fled, worried that Somalia was against collapsing into conflict after years of trying to rebuild.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble backed joint statement by Hirshabelle and Galmudug Federal Member States and called on security forces to return to their barracks. He also urged opposition leaders to stop any actions that could harm Somalia’s stability.
