Farmaajo's Political Ambitions

Somali politics is Machiavellian in that office seekers place where extreme emphasis not on the people’s electoral experience but on the use of money and manipulation to victory. In such a Machiavellian scheme, personal rule has always been and is a prominent feature of Somali politics.

The sitting president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose 4-year term is soon to conclude with no meaningful programmatic gains , is the main client of foreign interference in Somalia. in 2019, Mr. Farmajo authorized Ethiopian soldiers in the Southwest regional state to use a consequential force that resulted in the death of over 30 innocent civilians.

The tinny Petro-dollar, yet filthy rich and bold principality of Qatar holds president Farmajo on sway. Through the maverick head of Somalia’s security arm (NISA), Fahad Yasin is widely believed to be the conduit through which Qatar’s money is channeled. Such a scheme gives him an unprecedented sway over Mr. Farmajo.

Unlike other foreign forces, Qatar is aggressive with an appetite for exacting havoc on those who oppose its political client, thus ready to liquidate those who fail to fall in line with its client. It often uses terror, killing opposition personalities, and intimidations through the National Intelligence Agency (NISA) which Qatar bankrolls. A Somali diplomat who declines to speak on the record says that Qatar plays hard ball more than any other forces in the Somali political theater.

As potent as it could be, Mr. Farmajo’s new toolbox in this election season is to include the art of muzzling the electorate of Dir-Waqooyi. By taking advantage of the lack of access by this constituency to Hargeisa or any other site in Somaliland, Mogadishu is decided to be their venue to select its delegates. And this decision, as argued by many Dir-Waqooyi leaders, exposes their electorate to a significant manipulation and exploitation by Mr. Farmajo.