Somali President Restores Rank and Privileges to Ex-Intelligence Leader in Mogadishu
Mogadishu (AX) — A moment reminiscent of the intricate politics that ripple through Somalia played out on Monday, as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reinstated Colonel Ibrahim Moalim Abdullahi. Abdullahi, the erstwhile intelligence chief of Mogadishu within the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), found his military rank and privileges restored.
But what does this signify in the grand scheme of Somalia’s tumultuous political landscape? Does this mark the dawn of a new era of reconciliatory politics, or is it simply a strategic move? The decree arising from the halls of Villa Somalia breathes life back into Abdullahi’s career, unearthing the memories of a political drama that many believed would stay buried beneath the sands of time.
The labyrinthine corridors of Villa Somalia, often host to whispers of power plays, now echo with the rectification of Abdullahi’s standing. The former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo had been the steward of simmering tensions, overseeing the dismissal that stripped Abdullahi of his station. Yet, does this reversal highlight a legal foresight or just the shifting winds of political favor? Invoking Articles 87 and 90 of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution, the decision also aligns with the 2023 laws governing the intelligence agency—a legal chess move played with precision.
“Colonel Abdullahi is entitled to all rights and privileges granted under the law, effective immediately,” the statement from the President’s office boldly declared, closing chapters of discord and opening the door to new opportunities. The decree flatly dismisses any former attempts at diminishing Abdullahi’s role, setting a precedent for the future.
Remarkably, it was Abdullahi himself who initiated this complex unraveling. His formal petition to President Mohamud was a calculated strike against the injustices he felt under the former administration. His dismissal on March 3, 2020, was no mere clerical footnote. It was a symptom of the time, the result of a political storm fueled by perceptions of loyalty and ambition. Fahad Yasin, then the NISA Director, had wielded his power to serve a political agenda—a deft maneuver that encapsulated the struggles within the Somali government of the era. Yet the precise motivations behind Abdullahi’s ousting were left to speculation, as shadowy as a Mogadishu night.
With Abdullahi’s departure, NISA saw swift turnovers in its leadership ranks like a game of musical chairs dictated by political cadence. Isse Mohamed Isse took the helm temporarily, only to make way for Yasin Abdullahi Farey, whose past as Fahad Yasin’s security chief pointed to an intricate web of allegiance.
As Abdullahi stands poised to return to the organization’s fold, whether he will don his old mantle or carve out a new path within NISA remains an open question. Could his reemergence be a harbinger for others seeking redemption in President Mohamud’s administration? It’s a scene ripe for examination, as those previously marginalized might now find favorable winds for their own appeals.
This unfolding narrative serves as a vivid testament to the complexities of political power and redemption. In the chessboard of Somalia’s governance, every piece counts, and restorations such as this, with all their legal and personal implications, remind us that history can sometimes be rewritten.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
