Editorial

EDITORIAL | Somalia's Mohamed Farmaajo, whose term expired on February 8, continues to ignore the scriptures on the wall. And as things go, there may be a small window left to save both his career and Somalia's fate. On Tuesday, the latest ominous sign came from a grouping of Hawiye clan members and professionals. Gathered in Mogadishu, they withdrew support for Farmaajo, expressing outrage at his decision to give his assent to parliament's concept of extension. A vote came from 400 delegates from Mogadishu's most…

REPORT: How to revive the broken Somali National Army MOGADISHU, Somalia - For over three decades, Somalia has struggled to rebuild a security force free from clan antagonism and Al-Shabaab infiltration, but these efforts appear to face obstacles and may consequently delay the project, which has been going on for years. There are three categories of security forces in Somalia; the…

EDITORIAL | Somalia's foreign minister, Minister Balal Cusman Balal Osman, was left with an egg in his face on Thursday after presenting the wrong flag when he hosted Russian diplomat Mikhail Golovanov in Mogadishu. Instead of placing the Russian miniature flag in front of the visiting ambassador, Mr Ottoman's team placed the Dutch flag upside down. It may have been a mistake . But it may well be a depiction of President Mohamed Farmajoo's government and the way it treats its image. Mr. Golovanov's visit was supposed…

EDITORIAL | But this should never have surprised anyone. From the start, it always looked like a dance of grasshoppers being forced by an attentive crow. Now the biggest question must be whether outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose term expired in February, has a bit of legitimacy and confidence left to save the boat. When these meetings began, this platform was categorical, that all solutions found in this dialogue should be the result of free exchange of views. We warned that any presumed misleading…

EDITORIAL: On the independence of Parliament, here is a message to President Mursal EDITORIAL | It is not every day that we turn our fingers to the President of the House of Commons, Mursal Mohamed. But given the circumstances, he now holds the net and the knife for Somalia's future. Therefore, it was disappointing this week that a meeting convened to discuss Covid-19 emergencies…

EDITORIAL | There was a joy this week from officials of the Somali Federal Government after receiving Abdirashid Janan, who had reportedly 'surrendered' to the authorities. Janan, who was branded a refugee a year ago, was interior minister in Jubbaland state until Monday this week. Until Tuesday of this week, Mogadishu officials had branded him as a militia leader, a refugee, a bully and a murderer who killed and ran away from justice. These accusations have suddenly been swept under the rug now. And it is not that…

EDITORIAL | Somalia is once again facing the prospect of a political agreement after another meeting was held on Wednesday this week at the well-guarded Mogadishu Aden Abdulle International Airport. Still, there is little, if any, optimism at this meeting. First, there was confusion after President Farmajo organized a parallel but partial meeting with his prime minister Hussein Roble, Benadir Governor Omar Filish and presidents of Hirshabelle, Southwest and Galmudug. There is no problem with the meeting if it was a…

EDITORIAL: Building Coalitions, a good start for better politics in Somalia EDITORIAL | Somalia's key stakeholders for the upcoming election have come closer to a working partnership after launching yet another coalition group on Thursday. The National Salvation Council, which brings together the Council of Presidential Candidates, President Said Abdullahi Deni of Northeastern State…

EDITORIAL | Northeastern State of SomaliaPresident Said Abdullahi Deni has this week dealt with the aftermath of one of the most daring raids by Al-Shabaab brains on a prison facility in Bossaso, the state's main financial capital on the Gulf of Aden. On Thursday, March 11, the president officially dissolved the local district council following the jail attack that marked the biggest terrorist attack in Northeastern State this year. But this requires much more. On March 6, the terrorists attacked a correctional…

Somali interstate football tournament 2020: Experiences from player Mohamed Mahmoud This is Mohamed Mahmoud. Born and raised in the Barri region of the Northeastern State state of Somalia, he saw an opportunity in Galmudug, followed his football dream and made history as a Puntlander family, as a Galmudug player regionally and as a dream-following young Somali man. This triple identity of Mohamed is a…