By Suleiman Sabdow.
MOGADISHU-Calm has returned to Somalia’s capital Mogadishu after days of tense situation between president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble who have been feuding over the delayed elections which is behind schedule and has missed for the third time the deadline for its completion.
President Farmajo in a late night statement on Monday announced he had suspended the powers of the Prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble for failing his mandate to pilot the country through the protracted elections and corruption after the PM was accused of grabbing a land belonging to the National Army located in Liido Beach.
“The president decided to suspend the prime minister and stop his powers since he was linked with corruption,” the statement from the office of the president read in part.
The duty and powers of the PM Mohamed H Roble, who is being investigated over allegations of corruption and abuse of public land, remains suspended pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations. https://t.co/CjGZtpnH8N
— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) December 27, 2021
President Farmajo to make good his suspension the following morning Monday, placed security officers at the gate of the office of the Prime Minister leading to hours of stand- off between the presidential palace guards and the premier before the top Somalia National Army ( SNA) commander Yussuf Odowa and police Chief Abdi Hassan Hajir intervened and removed the blockades.
The Prime Minister after meeting with top government officials and opposition presidential candidates addressed a press conference and affirmed that his cabinet is responsible for leading the country and ordered all security commanders in the country to take orders from him and not President Farmaajo. Roble further warned any security officer who reneged against the order that they will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Roble also denied the accusations of land grabbing and vowed to continue performing his duties despite the suspension from the president Farmajo whom he for the first time referred as “former immediate president”
“Farmajo is trying hard to flagrantly overthrow the government and the constitution in an attempt to sabotage the ongoing parliamentary elections in the country” said Roble.
The office of PM Roble tweeted that “The outrageous statement from immediate former President, Mohamed Abdullahi (Farmajo) regarding the work of the PM and his failed attempt to militarily take over the OPM is a violation of the constitution & other laws, the consequences of which will be solely shouldered by Farmajo.
The outrageous statement from immediate former President, Mohamed Abdullahi (Farmajo) regarding the work of the PM & his failed attempt to militarily take over the OPM is a violation of the constitution & other laws, the consequences of which will be solely shouldered by Farmajo pic.twitter.com/P5gtkaiUsI
— OPM Somalia ?? (@SomaliPM) December 27, 2021
Heavily armed troops loyal to the Prime Minister who called themselves as ” National Salvation Army” later in the evening flooded the streets of Moqadishu and erected road blocks in the neighborhood of the presidential palace stoking fear among residents of flare- up of clashes between the two military factions supporting president Farmajo and PM Roble respectively.
However, according to reports after interventions from PM Roble, the Army commander Gen. Odowa and some top military heads the forces left the areas near Villa Somalia and moved to nearby villages where they stationed themselves.
A spot check by Frontier Online established a deserted streets near the presidential palace and roads leading to Villa Somalia clear with no single truck or soldier seen in the vicinities near the most fortified place in Moqadishu.Only presidential guards with red berets were seen at the gates and outside the presidential palace.
Normal activities had resumed in both the offices of the president and Prime Minister with no hiccup reported as cabinet and workers continued with their daily routine.
On Tuesday regional leaders of Galmudug and Hirshabelle States; Ahmed Qoorqoor and Ali Gudlawi arrived in Mogadishu to partake in the upcoming National consultative council meeting convened by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.
Reports however said a dinner organized by Galmudug president Qoorqoor for opposition candidates failed to take place after the candidates snubbed it which was deemed at diffusing the spat between the president and the Prime Minister as Qoorqoor is perceived to be a close ally of Farmajo.
Calls for president Farmajo and PM Roble to ease the political tensions have been gaining with the latest being the Swedish government which urged both leaders to de- escalate the situation and reiterated it’s commitment to supporting the National consultative council meeting called for by PM Roble.
The UN and US governments through their representatives have also called on President Farmajo and PM Roble to boil down the situation and allow the stalled electoral process to be concluded
Opposition Presidential Candidates also exhorted President Farmajo to leave the presidential palace and allow the Prime Minister execute his tasks to expediting the elections of the country so as to see a new government.
As of now the political and security situation has poured down with increasing calls from foreign diplomats and governments calling for the de- escalation of the current stand-off between the country’s top leaders and the acceleration of the ongoing Lower House elections.