Somali Politics and Galmudug Election: “PM Khaire must vacate Dhusamareb”

The Somali Politics is getting more complicated as President Ahmed Duale Guelleh Haaf of Galmudug accused the Federal Government of failing to deliver the Galmudug election and asked the Prime Minister Khaire to vacate Dhusamareb.

President Haaf who was staying in Mogadishu for the past few months, travelled to Kalkayo from where he had a phone interview with Radio Kulmiye Radio on January 4th.
In the interview Haaf declared that the FGS was expected to deliver but have failed to do so, after six months from the day he authorised FGS Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation to take the lead on his State Electoral Process.

President Haaf, in an agitated tone stated that the FGS plans to announce the remaining 69 Members of Parliament, after already ‘appointing’ the 20 MPs that correspondents with the number of seats allocated for Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ).

Haaf expressed his concerns that the real signatories (Galmudug Elders) are being replaced by the FGS and a possible attempt to force the remaining elders to sign off the new 69 Members of Parliament. This comes after some of the Murusade Elders took to the media to complain about Members of the Diaspora replacing them , with perceived help from the Prime Minister since he belongs to this community and has the power and motive to facilitate the replacement of the elders in order to determine the outcome of Galmudug Election and the general direction of Somali Politics.

Haaf blamed Prime Minister Khaire for hijacking the process: “ The prime Minister, from who we expect Justice and Neutrality, decided to settle in Dhusamareb and take over the role of the Conflict Resolution Committee, Election Committee and to become the Decision-maker in Galmudug. This is not possible. I am the president of this State, and only what I build, will be the outcome [of this process], nothing else.”
Indicating a possible way forward, the president stated that he does not want any fighting in Galmudug and that the Prime Minister and Interior Minister should vacate Dhusamareb.

Somali Political experts believe that whatever secret agreement the FGS had with president Haaf, is now officially nullified. Given the fact that the FGS was able to build a strong military presence in Dhusamareb and the generally accepted assumption that Galmudug has the highest gun-to-human ratio in Somalia, the situation is combustible to say the least. Adding to the mix, the importance the Galmudug Election has for FGS political survival in 2021 and the fact that both the Prime Minister and the President are from Galmudug, it is unlikely that the FGS will back down. Any constructive intervention now may help avoid violent clash and the lost of lives in Galmudug.