MOGADISHU, Somalia – With more than two months to go before his term expires, Somalia’s outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo seems relentless in his quest to continue in power despite constitutional restrictions and other obstacles to the legal framework.
The Constitution strictly allows one to be president for four years, after which he or she can seek a new mandate. The Horn of Africa has no time limits, an indication that one can be president of life until such a time death knocks or he is abdicated.
For the past many months, the country has openly struggled to compromise on the model, members of the nomination committee among other serious factors paving the way for the free and fair electoral process that meets international standards.
A series of meetings between the federal government and federal states has often hit a dead end, further making it quite difficult for the international community to end the stalemate through intense negotiations that have taken place in Mogadishu.
For example, the FMS and FGS talks that have been going on at the Afisiyooni Center went together earlier this week following a press release issued by Villa Somalia, shifting the blame to Jubaland and Northeastern State.
In the statement, FGS said, “Our efforts to unlock stalemate are in the public domain. From admitting that we have improved the clan-based model to sealing an agreement in September and supporting Baidoa recommendations. They just do not want us. to move.”
But in duplication, Jubaland and Northeastern State accused outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo of “extortion” and distanced himself from standoff. According to the leadership of the two states, negotiations were still ongoing given that the agenda had not been settled, adding that “Farmajo should return to the negotiating table”.
Insiders had told Axadlethat Jubaland and Northeastern State want 19 February lethal shots aimed at opposition supporters and the legitimacy of the current administration addressed on the agenda, a move rejected by FGS, which insists the agreement before the September election should take place.
The international community continues to put pressure on the country’s leadership and calls for genuine dialogue and reconciliation. Jubaland and Northeastern State also want other stakeholders such as The association of presidential candidates is included in the talks.
Crack against critics
But to stamp his authority, the president has regularly been blamed for using security forces to target critics who have often questioned his commitment to implement the deal before the September election, and many other deals have been reached.
Eg. Targeted security forces on February 19 against protesters in Mogadishu, where they used live bullets. Although the government would later apologize after meeting opposition candidates, the case has continued to evoke political sentiment.
The government has tried to block protests and even failed to provide security to protesters, even after accepting a meeting. Elite Somali National Army [SNA] troops are said to be deployed in strategic positions to intimidate critics.
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsane, the leader of the Wadajir party, recently accused Farmajo of “equipping security forces against anti-government crusaders instead of directing energy to the war against al-Shabaab militants”.
But the government, through Information Minister Osman Abukar Dubbe, has often insisted that “security forces have the right to stamp authority in matters of national security”. National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] is also accused of targeting critics.
And to win the war on social media, the government has strategically prepared online trolls, most of whom are targeted at the opposition team, by spreading propaganda and disinformation. A number of them create duplicate accounts for government critics.
War on media
Neither in the current political storm is spared the independent media that have covered the country’s political issues objectively and without coercion from state machines and other government bureaucrats.
For over ten months, prosecution cases against journalists have been fierce, with some of them being beaten with convictions for reporting credibility on government incompetence and maladministration.
One of the cases involved targeting Voice of America reporter Harun Maruf, whom the NISA team had linked to Al-Shabaab without tangible evidence. But even with the case pulling, the U.S.-based reporter has been a victim of social media trolls.
On Friday, Garowe Online, a subsidiary of Garowe Media Group, was on the receiving end of the trolls, leading to the suspension of her Twitter account following a spiritual battle of the trolls. Twitter has since reintroduced the account unconditionally.
Mohamed Farole, one of the founders of the media group, quoted Potter Stewart as to what happened. He said: “Censorship reflects society’s lack of self-confidence. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime. ”
The country is experiencing political stalemate in the midst of the ongoing struggle against al-Shabaab militants who control large parts of central and southern Somalia in rural areas. The international partners have been involved in the fight against the militants.
AXADLETM
