In a highly publicised event, Somalia’s Presidency, hosted what was billed as a town hall meeting with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a move widely seen as an attempt to bolster his dwindling public approval rating.
However, the event on Monday was marred by reports that it was strictly a stage-managed affair, with a carefully pre-selected audience and scripted questions despite Villa Somalia officials, terming the town hall in a highly guarded private hotel a success.
The event supposedly presented an opportunity for the President to boost his popularity and convey the impression of accessibility to the public.
As Mr. Mohamud’s one-year anniversary in office draws closer following his elections victory in 2022 elections, there are reports that he was increasingly becoming frustrated by the lack of favorable media coverage for his administration like his predecessor.
This follows the uncountable recent scandals such as the alleged looting spree by his inner circle and cronies which has tarnished his reputation even as his disastrous first term in office remains fresh in Somali citizens’ minds. The negative publicity has reportedly overshadowed his handful of accomplishments, which him and his supporters believe deserve more media attention.
In the three-hour event, the President, who is known for his exceptional oratory skills, maintained his composure while addressing the audience on a number of subjects.
Unfortunately, it was Intriguing that the President utilised the platform to criticize the previous administration, with the President and his audience at times downplaying the previous administration’s efforts.
WAR ON AL SHABAB
During the meeting, the President claimed a considerable share of the credit for the war against Alshabab, while downplaying the previous administration’s role and support in reforming and rebuilding the army currently being used in the ongoing military offensive.
Despite the success of the war against Alshabab, it was plagued by political interference, foreign meddling, the arming of militias, inadequate coordination, and a high number of casualties among government troops. These factors made it challenging to implement a cohesive strategy, resulting in missed opportunities and even setbacks as the offensive progressed.
FACTS ON THE FRONTLINES
The President encountered challenges in presenting his war against Al-Shabaab as a strong success achieved through a well-defined plan.
While he claimed that Al-Shabaab’s counterattacks were relatively limited, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise as the group continues to expel government troops from a significant portion of the territory recently liberated from their control.
In multiple instances, civilians and local militia who supported the government’s liberation efforts have suffered retaliatory attacks by Alshabab after government forces withdrew mysteriously. Additionally, in some cases, militia groups that were assisting the government surrendered, and Alshabab seized their weapons.
Although significant portions of Hirshabelle and Galmudug have been freed from Al-Shabaab’s control, the group’s military command and control structure still remain intact, after transitioning to guerrilla tactics.
Al-Shabaab has recently managed to overrun several large military bases in Gal’ad, Masagawaay, Ruunirgood, Hilowle Gaab in Galmudug and Hirshabelle and Jannay Abdalle in Jubaland. The ability of the Somali National Army and allied Ma’awisley local militias to retain control of these territories without retreat remains uncertain.
Key names in the war against Al shabab have also lost their lives which was a huge blow in the offensive unlike his predecessor’s tenure. The deaths of Col. Hassan Turre, and General Farhan Mohamud Aden ‘Farhan Qarole’ alongside that of many other commandos has left a permanent scar in the hearts of many owing to the formers’ leadership in the offensive against Al shabab.
UAE AS A DEPENDABLE ALLY
The President’s public declaration that the UAE is Somalia’s closest ally was misguided, especially considering the UAE’s history of blatant interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs and its failure to undertake significant infrastructure initiatives in the country, hence denying the massive development and humanitarian projects undertaken by Turkey and Qatar.
The UAE’s interference in Somalia’s internal affairs is well known. Over the past few years, the Emirati government has gained control of several Somali ports and imported weapons without revealing their ultimate destination.
Experts were quick to dismiss the Somali leader’s characterisation of the UAE as Somalia’s closest ally a diplomatic blunder.
The President’s failure to acknowledge the significant contributions of Somalia’s actual key allies calls into question the accuracy of his assessment of the country’s relationships with the UAE.
Turkey, the United States, United Kingdom, Qatar, and Eritrea have become Somalia’s true allies by providing considerable assistance in training and equipping the country’s national army. However, the president’s failure to acknowledge these contributions suggests a disregard for their significant role in Somalia’s development.
In 2018, the UAE shut down its medical facility in Mogadishu and disbanded its military training program as part of its diplomatic indifferences with the then administration which reflected ‘interest-driven’ ally unlike Hassan Sheikh’s claims.
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
During the Town Hall meeting, the President lauded the passage of controversial bills in the Somali parliament, commending lawmakers for their efforts despite the lack of quorum required to pass significant legislation, which raises doubts about the legality of the laws.
Lawmakers have accused the Speakers of both Houses of the Federal Parliament of artificially increasing the quorum numbers to pass legislation at the President’s request. As per the country’s provisional constitution, parliamentary procedure requires every legislation to undergo three readings and the laws the President mentioned were passed during the second reading.
However, such actions are considered deliberate violations of the country’s established laws and are deemed non-compliant with parliamentary procedures.
Moreover, the President failed to address a worrisome trend where foreign groups had a considerable influence in proposing and promoting most laws instead of Somali MPs. These bills were understood to have been drafted in the closely guarded Halane camp, with many parliamentarians not being privy to the specifics.
Furthermore, the majority of Somalis were unaware of the details of these bills and the potential ramifications they could have as there were no public consultations held, which is a mandatory step for any legislation before it is presented to the parliamentary floor for approval.
This has further reduced Somali lawmakers to rubber stamping executive desires informed by unclear interests which has caused many legislators to spend most of their time handling private matters since they bills are exempted from debating as required by the law.
NEPOTISM ON THE RISE
The President devoted some of his time to rebutting allegations of nepotism in his government, citing that his family members have a right to work as government officials. However, the appointment of the President’s immediate family members in Villa Somalia, and his daughter, Jihan Hassan, who sits besides him on several high-level meetings, have raised concerns among the Somali people.
Moreover, the appointment of his nephew as Villa Somalia Presidential Hospital boss and daughter-in-law as the Acting Director General of the Somali Bureau of Standards has also sparked a considerable uproar.
In contrast to democratic societies that generally discourage nepotism and prioritize merit-based appointments, where a president may only appoint close relatives or family members on a volunteer or unpaid basis, the Somali President’s decision to appoint his daughter as a pensionable advisor is reminiscent of the practices of authoritarian leaders and monarchies, making the appointment a clear example of nepotism, which violates both domestic and international best practices.
RELATIONS WITH FEDERAL STATES
The President has also weighed in on the strained relationship between the Federal Government and the regional state of Puntland, dismissing the concerns and grievances raised by the regional administration.
However, his denial of the contentious issue is at odds with the outcome of the recent National Consultative Forum held in Baidoa, where leaders from Southwest, Hirshabelle, and Galmudug were assigned to Puntland to facilitate talks between the Federal Government and Puntland President Said Deni, who had boycotted the forum in protest against President Mohamud’s government.
Furthermore, despite insisting that his government maintains close ties with the Federal Member States, it faces challenges in extending their operations beyond Mogadishu into the states, indicating resistance from regional leaders to his government.
POWERFUL ENVOYS USURP PM’S POWER
Concerns have been raised in Somalia regarding the concentration of power in the hands of the President, who has appointed powerful special envoys that have taken over most of the Prime Minister’s responsibilities, leaving him with limited authority.
President Mohamud has faced accusations of stripping the Prime Minister’s office of any significant authority, resulting in the current Prime Minister having less power than his predecessors.
In response to the allegations, President Mohamud falsely claimed that the Prime Minister’s Office holds constitutional rights. The current PM, Hamza Abdi Barre, a long-time trusted aide to the President, however, did little to stop the president-allied envoys from taking over the responsibilities of the PM’s Office. In addition , President Mohamud has unilaterally selected members of the cabinet, without giving the PM a chance to have a say.
While Town Halls can be an effective platform to assess an individual’s performance, provided that the platform is open and unbiased, the President’s actions can be best described as deceptive. By organizing a closed forum and manipulating the concerns of ordinary citizens he undermined his public confidence.
PRE-PLANNED SAGA
However, despite the high anticipation leading up to the much-hyped event, it did not live up to expectations, as many Somalis were disappointed by the restrictions imposed on the event and majority of the attendees were civil servants. Some attendees who had hoped to voice their concerns directly to the president were left with unanswered questions, while others were denied the opportunity to ask any questions at all.
Critics say that the meeting was nothing more than a publicity stunt, designed to give the impression of transparency while ensuring that no difficult questions were raised.
The meeting has also been met with widespread disappointment and frustration among the Somali public concerns, with some taking to social media to voice their displeasure.
Many have accused the government of silencing criticism and failing to engage with the concerns of ordinary citizens.
EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY
Prior to winning last year’s presidential elections, President Mohamud, who was then an opposition leader in Somalia, campaigned against Somalia’s tripartite agreement with Ethiopia and Eritrea, citing unequal power dynamics and the inability to negotiate fair deals.
However, in 2023, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed his desire for Somalia to join the EAC, which is facing significant obstacles as the bloc has yet to decide on its admission due to unfulfilled requirements.
This marks a notable shift from his previous remarks, where he stated, “If the power is unequal and you are not able to negotiate deals on fair terms, I will not advise to join such a bloc.” He also expressed concerns at the time that Somali businesses stood to lose in the East African market if Somalia joined the bloc.
Meanwhile, observers suggested that Mr. Mohamud made these pre-election remarks to undermine his predecessor’s bid for joining the Horn of Africa Initiative for political gain, but the recent shift in his stance suggests a change of heart or a shift in his priorities.
In conclusion, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s oratory skills and confidence in public speaking deserve might deserve to be commended but his critics argue that the actions and governance style of his administration suggest otherwise.
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