Muqdisho | QOL | November 04, 2020 –The quest by some of the Gulf nations for possessing an influence in the national elections in Somalia is no longer a secret business.
Authorities of the United Arab Emirates made invitations to several heavyweight Somali presidential aspirants in Abu Dhabi in the recent past. Meanwhile, Doha, whose support towards the incumbent president is unconcealed, is hellbent on financing alternative presidential candidates in the event the outgoing leader loses the race.
Somalia’s long-standing political culture is known to deny outgoing presidents a re-election chance. Except the authoritarian regime, all previous presidents lost in their re-election bid in an unceremonious fashion. This has consequently sparked concern among countries with interest in the Horn of Africa nation’s political developments as rallying behind an outgoing president most of the times end in pain.
Khaire and Farmaajo – Acting as if they are at loggerheads
Sources close to the presidential election campaign of the immediate former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has voiced suspicion over the realness of the alleged clash between the former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and President Farmaajo along with the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Fahad Yasin. According to political figures who had severally met Khaire in Nairobi and Istanbul, strong but tacit connection between the two sides still persists though what they discuss is yet to be ascertained.
Over 20 individuals, including government officials, politicians and former presidents who met the NISA boss and Mr Khaire on different occasions confirmed that while the two officials lodged complaint against each other through top politicians, the duo are yet to officially comment on their alleged disagreement via the media. Since his ouster from office, Mr Khaire has not yet openly denounced the policies of President Farmaajo nor those of the NISA Director, hence a reason for speculations.
Surprisingly, on 25 July, hours prior to his announcement of his decision to resign as Prime Minister, Mr Khaire held a high profile meeting at his residence in Mogadishu with 12 of his closest associates, going against their opinion and suggestions. His advisors advised him to oppose the decision of the House of the People that had controversially deposed him hours earlier. He rather arrived at a decision to resign as Prime Minister. In a bid to erase any traces of suspicion, several well-coordinated campaigns to dispel any suspicion of continued association between the sides were carried out. Nabad and Nolol spread rumours that the former Prime Minister was quick to resign as Prime Minister in fear of being charged for embezzlement crimes. The move to deny the former Prime Minister to hand over power was also another well-played scheme to shape the public opinion and portray a phony picture of animosity and strong disagreement between the camps.
Khaire who held the position of the Prime Minister for over three and a half years has worked closely with the Qatari government forging close ties with the leadership of the tiny Arab country. In June-2020, accompanied only by the Central Bank Governor, Mr Khaire was invited to Doha for a high-profile meeting with Qatari government leadership. The motive of the invitation was to convince him to resign as Prime Minister and as a reward he would be Qatari’s second preferred presidential candidate during the upcoming election. Khaire, however, reportedly declined the offer.
Political analysts believe that Khaire, who is skilled in acting and the presidency which is good at keeping secrets, are jointly acting a unique political drama that has never been witnessed in the country, which if it bears fruits might bring back Khaire as a president and Farmaajo as Prime Minister.
Accuracy of Gulaid’s claim of enjoying ties with Qatar
The former President of the Galmudug State of Somalia, and former Federal Minister for internal security, Abdikarin Hussein Gulaid has seen his name mentioned over other candidates in the recent months after boasting about his claimed ties with Qatar and being their second preferred presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential elections after President Farmaajo. This is the reason for his firming influence despite the known facts about his poor financial background, networks and political alliance.
Mustaqbal Media has learnt that Gulaid enjoys no relation with any Arab country other than Iraq and Pakistan with whom he has informal relations as members of his family resides in both nations.
Mr Gulaid has adopted a soft stance as far as the Farmaajo-led government is concerned. While recently major clans that inhabit Mogadishu have shown discontentment over President Farmaajo’s leadership, Mr Gulaid has been sending positive messages, mainly on peace, hence his enhancing his relations with President Farmaajo and Fahad Yasin.
Sources close to Villa Somalia confirmed that Gulaid had a notable role in the appointment of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, as Roble has personal connection with both officials. Considering all the mentioned facts, Mr Gulaid appears to the second preferred presidential candidate of Nabad and Nolol, but this rules out any possibility that he can be the first presidential candidate to be invested by any Arab country that has interest in Somalia.
Khaire and Gulaid who both hail from Mogadishu don’t appear to be heavyweight presidential elections as far as the 2021 elections are concerned. The forthcoming elections would be tougher that the previous ones as MPs, culturally, consider the victory of candidates allied to the incumbent as tantamount to a reelection of the incumbent.
Office News For Qaranimo Online | Muqdisho
_________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________Xafiiska Wararka Qaranimo Online | Mogadishu, Somalia
_____________________________________________________________________________________Advertisement
_____________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
