Somalia: Farmajo arrives in Kinshasa as protests intensify in Mogadishu
Kinshasa – Embattled Somalia’s outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC] where he is expected to hold a meeting with the President of the current African Union and the President of the country Felix Tshisekedi.
Farmajo, whose term expired on February 8, arrived at the DRC on Sunday night and was ushered in by senior security and government officers at Kinshasa International Airport before continuing to one of the hotels in the city.
For the past two months, Farmajo has had to try to seize the country even with growing local and international pressure to allow elections to take place. The lower house in Somalia extended its term by another two years, leading to the current dead end.
Although the agenda for his meeting remains unclear, several sources have confirmed to Axadlethat Farmajo is eager to defend the two-year extension of his regime, a move he hopes will receive blessings from the continental body.
A source familiar with the visit also suggested that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will also be in Kinshasa. Farmajo has requested a meeting with President Kenyatta to eradicate controversial issues, including the maritime dispute.
Somalia and Kenya have had serious diplomatic wars in the last year, with the maritime dispute being one of the most controversial issues. Both countries are fighting in the International Court of Justice [ICJ] and everyone was given opportunities in March to defend themselves.
Somalia and Kenya have also had security-related quarrels at the border in Mandera and El-Wak with the role of Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] in the Gedo region is one of the current issues. Somalia accuses the KDF of working with the Jubaland Security Forces at the expense of national security, a claim that Kenya rejects.
The African Union is now ready to hold an emergency meeting in Somalia next week. Farmaajo could have been advised to meet with President Felix Tshisekedi ahead of the meeting of a friendly representative of the AU in Mogadishu, sources added.
Amid Farmajo’s diplomatic missions, protests continued to build in Mogadishu as anti-government factions called for the removal of the outgoing president, whom they accuse of inciting instability in the Horn of Africa.
Anti-government protesters marched in the Shirkole area on Sunday night, shouting “We do not want Farmaajo, we do not want a dictator” and show strong support for fired Mogadishu police chief Sadak John.
Kenneth Roth, a former CEO of Human Rights Watch, poked holes in the strategy used by Farmajo, arguing that he was slowly turning Somalia into a dictatorship and citing his recent regional allies as evidence.
“Unsurprisingly, Somali President Abdullahi Mohamed unilaterally extended his term by two years while he ‘seems to be taking his signals from Eritrea [forever] the autocratic president, Isaias Afwerki, who has become a close ally in recent months, ”he noted.
AXADLETM
.
