The presidents of Galmudug, Ahmed Abdi Karie (Qoor Qoor), and Southwest state, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen), were in Mogadishu on Thursday to reportedly mediate talks between President Farmajo and Prime Minister Roble amidst the current constitutional crisis.The two regional presidents met with the prime minister and the president and urged both parties to refrain from further action that would escalate the tense situation.
Reports indicate that the president and the prime minister have accepted the mediation, although each has developed conditions attached to the talks.
Prime Minister Roble insists that Commander Bashir Goobe remains the commander of NISA, and President Farmajo emphasized that the steps taken by the Prime Minister were invalid.
The meeting is expected to continue on Friday. The two presidents are hopeful that the two top officials will finally be reconciled so that their differences do not affect the election process.
The intervention comes amidst heightened political tensions that threatens the fragile stability of Somalia.
The country’s two most powerful men are locked in a deepening standoff after they both named different men to head Somalia’s intelligence service.
PM Roble suspended Fahad Yasin, director of the National Intelligence Service Agency (NISA), saying he failed to deliver a report on the case of one of its agents who disappeared in June.
Roble appointed another man, Bashir Mohamed Jama, as interim head of NISA.
On Thursday afternoon, following his appointment Wednesday night, the PM officiated the swearing-in of new Security Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Nur, after President Farmaajo cried foul over the move
The swearing-in ceremony comes as political temperatures in Mogadishu hit a crescendo, with both parties claiming the unconstitutional nature of the other’s moves
