Inside last-minute effort to save Somalia from plunging into chaos

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A number of mechanisms have been put in place to save Somalia from plunging into chaos, following a stressful week that saw differences between Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and Farmaajo escalate.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Southwest and Galmudug leaders have started efforts to reconcile the two parties as the country rush against time to salvage the country from plunging into serious political chaos.

For a whole week, differences between Roble and Farmaajo escalated, with both parties making contradicting appointments. The issue was escalated by the death of Ikran Tahlil, a junior employee within the National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA].

A furious Roble responded by firing Fahad Yasin, the former NISA director, replacing him with Lt General Bashir Mohamed Jama alias Goobe. In response, Farmaajo who had rejected the appointment went to pick Yasin Farey as the head of NISA, promoting Fahad to his security advisor.

But on Friday, a lawmaker told AFP that senior leaders had stepped in to resolve the dispute.

"There are politicians including heads of some member states who have intervened in the situation... and efforts have been started to mediate between the president and the prime minister", Abdifatah Mohamed, a member of Somalia's parliament, told AFP.

"I hope this will bring an end to the political conflict," he said.

Roble in turn accused the president of "obstructing" the investigation, and in a late-night move on Wednesday, fired the security minister and replaced him with a Farmajo critic.

The spat has sparked fears of violence and prompted senior leaders to intervene in the matter, with officials telling AFP that the presidents of Somalia's Galmudug and Southwest states were working to end the impasse.

"The mediation efforts started last night and will continue", a senior official with close ties to Farmajo's office told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The president and the prime minister have agreed to the negotiations and talks have already started... There are hopes that the tension will ease very soon", another official with the Southwest state's delegation told AFP.

Later, Roble fired Internal Security Minister Ambassador Hassan Hundubey Jimale, replacing him with Abdullahi Nor. But Farmaajo dismissed the changes as inconsequential, arguing that PM Roble did not have the power to do so.

Farmajo's four-year mandate expired in February but was extended by parliament in April, triggering deadly gun battles in Mogadishu, with some rivals viewing it as a flagrant power grab.

Roble cobbled together a new timetable for a vote, but the process fell behind, and this week he accused Farmajo of trying to reclaim "election and security responsibilities" from him.

Analysts say the election impasse has distracted from Somalia's larger problems, most notably the violent Al-Shabaab insurgency.

Roble is under pressure to deliver justice to the family of Ikran Tahlil, whose death has caused cracks. NISA had blamed the death on Al-Shabaab but the militants rejected the claims, further causing confusion.

GAROWE ONLINE