HOW TO UNDERSTAND CURRENT POLITICAL STALEMATE IN MOGADISHU

There is political grilock and paralysis in Mogadishu for the following reasons:

1. Political divisions within the Heads of Federal Member States (Deni and Qoor Qoor).

2. Divisions between the Federal Government of Somalia and some of the Federal Member States, namely Puntland and Jubaland.

3. The Expiration of the mandate of the Federal Institutions, the presidency and Parliament, is a big factor contributing to a constitutional crisis.

4. Safety and security concerns in Mogadishu for Deni and Madoobe.

5. Lack of tact and leadership from Farmaajo.

5. Total loss of trust among Somali leaders.

6. Ineffective and wishy-washy  meddling by the international community in the internal affairs of Somalia due to the lack of foresight on the part of Somali leaders to negotiate in good faith and commit themselves to tough political compromises required to resolve sticking issues of national interest.

That is why there is a political paralysis, which may compell some powerful members of the international community to resort to arms-twisting and threats of sanctions, if the electoral impasse isn’t resolved soon.

How do you expect negotiations in good faith when the parties aren’t in talking terms and in an atmosphere of breakdown of communication? That is why you hear and read in the social media about Mohamed Farmaajo calling for meetings, while he hadn’t even secured the position of a “care-taker” president. To put the matter even worse, Farmaajo is acting like legitimate Head of government and Head of state at same time in the absence of a real care-taker prime minister.

The political paralysis feeds into ignorant general public, infested with clannish polarization in the absence of organized and mature civil society in the country. It is a fragile situation.

How to resolve this grave situation? It is hard to expect positive response in the absence of mature and responsible leadership from Villa Somalia and Heads of the FMSs.