FACT CHECK: Politics and not security separated Robow from Farmaajo

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Acting National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) director Yasin Farey has claimed that former Al-Shabaab number two Mukhtar Robow who has been under house arrest since December 2018 remains a threat to the public and has not withdrawn his allegiance to the militant group.

In his response to Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Nur for information on the detained former militant leader, Farey said Robow does not meet the conditions for release since he has not denounced terrorism. He added that Robow is being provided with a $7,000 monthly stipend and is even pursuing a masters degree. Additionally, Farey said Robow is in good health contrary to a VOA interview on October 2021 where Robow said his health was failing.

TRACING THE STORY

But how are we to make of the claims by the NISA chief? A look back at the relationship between the Mohamed Farmaajo administration and Robow highlights a political rather than a security concern by Villa Somalia.

On August 13, 2017, Robow, who had been rumoured to have fallen out with Al-Shabaab as from 2013 surrendered to South West state authorities. Two days later on August 15, he was flown alongside his son to Mogadishu where he held a presser denouncing Al-Shabaab and stating he was no longer a member. He was not to be heard for about six months.

The U.S government had withdrawn a $5 million bounty on Robow on June 23, 2017.

GOVERNMENT BACKED TOURS

On February 18, 2018, flanged by Federal Government officials and security, Robow left for Baidoa, his home turf where he met clan elders and shortly returned to Mogadishu. Six months later on October 4, 2018, Robow, seen as an ally of the administration whom he was thought would be instrumental in sharing intelligence about Al-Shabaab, arrived in Baidoa. It is on this day that he announced his candidature for the South West presidential race. On October 10, he held another meeting with clan elders and appealed to them to vote for him. All this while, Robow appeared as a public face of the Farmaajo administration and had his support.

Following the deadly truck bombing at Zoobe Junction on October 14, 2017, which claimed over 500 lives, Robow visited victims in hospitals and condemned the attack. He liked the attack to the Shamo Hotel bombing in 2009 during a graduation ceremony that killed medical graduands, ministers and lecturers. Robow joined members of the public in a blood donation drive in Mogadishu on October 16.

CLEARED FOR ELECTIONS

On November 25, Robow received his clearance certificate to run for the South West state presidency. The elections committee did not raise objections. But on December 13, Robow was captured in a government-orchestrated act that involved Ethiopian forces in Baidoa. The State elections committee had called for a meeting of presidential candidates and as Robow made way into the venue, which was the South West state presidential villa, he was ambushed and arrested by Ethiopian forces who flew him to Mogadishu.

Shortly thereafter, the Federal Government issued a statement noting that Robow had not completed the reintegration programme for former extremists and was therefore not legible for elections. Following his forceful withdrawal from the race, violence rocked Baidoa leading to the shooting dead of 15 civilians by government forces on December 18.

Then head of AMISOM Nicholas Haysom questioned the role of the government forces on December 29 and by January 1, 2019, he was expelled out of the country by Villa Somalia. By pulling Robow out of action, Villa Somalia installed its candidate, Abdiasis Lafta Gareen, then a minister as President of South West state. Fast forward to October 2021, Robow said in a VOA interview his health was failing.

It follows therefore that politics and security came in the way of a budding and seemingly productive relationship between Farmaajo and Robow. For Farmaajo who was working to remake the Federal Member States into his own image and liking, Robow would have been to volatile and independent to fit the bill.