Al-Shabaab expands tax collection bases, claims Somalia's opposition

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of Somalia has yet again been put on notice following claims that Al-Shabaab militants are now controlling large swathes of the country, amid an ongoing pre-election stalemate, which has literally brought many activities into a standoff in the country.

In a tough-worded statement on Monday, Somalia's opposition asked members of the international community led by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to chip in and save the country from plunging into chaos, arguing that the outgoing regime has given Al-Shabaab a field of play.

According to the team, which comprises 15 presidential candidates, the government has been using security forces, which are heavily funded by taxpayers from foreign countries, to suppress civilians instead of extending the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.

Regrettably, the claim, the move has given the Al-Shabaab a freeway to collect taxes from locals in the country, further making it impossible for the Horn of Africa nation to move forward. Al-Shabaab controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

"Your governments rightfully continue to equip and provide budgetary allocations to Somali National Army," read the statement, which was copied to Blinken and a host of international community representatives in Somalia and those at UNSC.

"Regrettably, Farmajo's government has turned focus away from the fight against Al-Shabaab who are now freely collecting taxes alongside the government and targeting civilians at will, while the government is preoccupied with the use of armed forces to suppress innocent civilians," the team noted.

Somalia, they said, has been without a constitutionally recognized government. The legislation made by parliament to extend her mandate last year does not mention the prolongation of the presidential term. President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo's term expired on Feb 8 last month.

And the term now accuses Farmajo of engineering a political standoff for the sake of his own political capital, further making it impossible for the country to move forward. Villa Somalia is, however, yet to respond to the latest claims by the opposition.

"The argument made by the former president that he should stay in office until a new government takes over does not stand since he's the one engineering the current political stalemate," the opposition said. "He has refused to engage in good faith with federal states representatives and other stakeholders and is keen to hold until power by use of force."

Efforts to broker a truce between the opposition and the federal government of Somalia have stalled with each side holding tough political stands. The country was set to go for polls from December last year but the government is yet to implement September 17 agreement.

GAROWE ONLINE