Khaire’s apology was condition for joint meeting

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU:   Presidential candidates and opposition political parties demanded former Prime Minister Hassan Khaire apologise for his role in the deadly attack at the residence of Wadajir party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur before he participates in any joint engagement, Goobjoog News has learnt.

Sources privy to the developments have told Goobjoog News the former premier who was variously accused of deploying security forces to oppress opposition figures was forced to apologise to Abdishakur Friday as a condition to be allowed to participate in a consultation conference starting off today.

Abdishakur tweeted Friday night that Khaire had tendered his apology for the attack December 17, 2017  at Wadajir party headquarters that resulted in the death of four guards of his bodyguards.

“Former Somali Prime Minister and presidential candidate Hassan A. Kheyre visited us at Wadajir Party headquarters last night. He apologised for the 17th December 2017 attack on the party HQ. We’re giving the others who were involved in the attack a chance to issue a similar apology,” Abdishakur tweeted.

  TREATED WITH SUSPICION

It is also understood that the other presidential candidates demanded that Khaire declares his position on his relationship with his immediate former boss president Mohamed Farmaajo. Sources said Khaire is being treated with suspicion for his ‘deliberate silence’ regarding the current administration. “He has not spoken or condemned this administration since he was fired in July,” a source close to the opposition bandwagon said.

The former PM also head talks with former presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Mogadishu. The two former presidents are both contenders in the upcoming presidential race.

“The apology by Khaire paves way for his participation in a three days consultative meeting starting today,” a source said. The meeting which is expected to deliberate on the process towards the February presidential elections is being attended by all presidential candidates except President Mohamed Farmaajo. ( See separate story).