EDITORIAL | President Mohamed Farmaajo, whose term expired on February 8, may know that he now has little chance of any of his bids to stay longer, with no election, getting a cheerful ear.
But it seems that his desire to achieve his personal goal must be achieved at all costs, including tarnishing the image of the country and harming the pride of its people.
The latest nail arrived on Thursday, when the African Union’s Peace and Security Council condemned it, calling for a unilateral action by Somalia’s federal lower house to pass a motion to extend its term and Farmaajo’s by two years. This move effectively killed the negotiations on the September 17 agreement that everyone except Farmaajo and the House of Commons wanted to stay.
The 15-member body of the African Union rejected Farmaajo’s explanation that the two years were to organize universal suffrage, which Somalia has not been able to implement for 52 years. The AU sees this only as a delaying tactic, and which could damage the country’s peace and stability and threaten all its important gains since the country began rebuilding.
In image preservation, the people of Farmajoo tried to explain that they had invited AU to help solve the dead end.
Farmajoo’s men had wanted to play a dialogue game as time went on to ensure the two years had expired. And to counter international pressure, his spin doctors accused specific Somali stakeholders of working with foreigners to destabilize Somalia. At the African Union, the government unwisely criticized Kenya and Djibouti for trying to influence the outcome of the AU’s Peace and Security Council to issue critical views on Somalia.
The Council routinely works in this way: discussing and discussing views. In other words, Farmajoo’s men accused the two countries of carrying out their work in the Council.
For a long time, Farmaajo used this tactic to divert attention from its shortcomings. Kenya and Djibouti may have certain interests in Somalia. But it is Farmaajo who has led the country down. He relies on stakeholders to disagree with him. And accuses foreign partners of interference.
In fact, Somalia is currently unable to renounce the African Union, the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom or the European Union. These four bodies have used human, economic and other technical resources to support a growing democracy.
We do not intend to declare these organizations sacred. But Farmaajo itself is guarded by the African Union Mission in Somalia[AMISOM] strength. On Thursday, the Council said Amisom should now monitor the rollout and movement of troops by Somali forces in the country, fearful of the constant tensions created by these unnecessary unilateral moves.
Every Somali wants a sovereign Somalia. But sovereignty should never be a defense of dictatorship. Somalia will only be a bonafide member of the international community if it agrees to be part of the tradition that is acceptable among the nations of the nations.
It will require Farmaajo to obey simple provisions of the Constitutional Act of the African Union, the African Charter of Democracy, Elections and Governance and other declarations of human rights, democracy and constitutionalism.
Great leaders make mistakes. Larger leaders learn when they are wrong, and correct as quickly as possible. It’s not too late for Farmaajo to fold his personal plan and resume talks. Somalia would like to thank him for his honesty. Otherwise, he will continue to harm the people.
AXADLETM
