Somali PM, outgoing President clash again as AU envoy is kicked out
GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: A fresh storm rocked Mogadishu Wednesday night as Prime Minister Mohamed Roble and outgoing President Mohamed Roble locked horns in what is set to reverberate across the government and pose serious consequences to the preparations for the election of a new President.
The furore was sparked by a statement from Roble declaring the head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Francisco Madeira ‘persona non grata’. In the statement, Roble asked the African Union to recall the special envoy and ordered him to leave the country in 48 hours.
Roble said he was kicking out the Mozambican diplomat for ‘engaging in acts that are incompatible with his status.’
READ ALSO: NEW STORM: PM Roble kicks out Farmaajo allies in FEIT as South West ‘cuts ties’
But in a sharp rejoinder akin to the now common feuds between Farmaajo and Roble, Villa Somalia fired back noting the ‘Federal Government had not received any complaints of interference with its sovereignty and doesn’t endorse any illegal action against Ambassador Francisco Madeira.”
Villa Somalia also said Roble’s statement was an ‘illegitimate and reckless decision from an unauthorized office.’
The decision to expel Madeira, whom opposition politicians have variously accused of doing Farmaajo’s bidding was reportedly arrived at following an audio leak in which Madeira is purportedly heard complaining about the PM.
In the audio, which has been widely circulated on social media, Madeira purportedly says that the PM was working on cohorts with opposition politicians to counter Farmaajo in the presidential race.
Madeira also claims that the PM and opposition leaders used the killing of the MP Amina Mohamed in a suicide bombing in Beletweytne last month as political capital against Farmaajo.
Coming exactly a week before the new lawmakers are sworn in, the fresh fallout is likely to adversely affect that process and further delay the election of a new president. Further, the dispute will have a bearing on the country’s security as it creates confusion within the AU force which is now transitioning into ATMIS.