Farmajo arrives in Qatar amid election crisis in Somalia

DOHA, Qatar - Outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has on Monday evening arrived in Doha, the capital of Qatar, in what his office said was a two-day visit sanctioned by the Gulf nation's top leader, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad.

Farmajo accompanied by foreign and sports ministers as well as the first lady received a warm welcome at Doha International airport from the Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, and HE Ambassador of Somalia to Qatar Abdirizak Farah Ali Tano.

Monday's trip to Doha is Farmaajo's first-ever since his term officially expired on February 8, 2021. The president is yet to face re-election due to unprecedented delays, which Villa Somalia has been strongly accused of plotting.

In a statement, Villa Somalia said Farmaajo will be attending the opening ceremony of the FIFA Arab World Cup, which is set to kick off on Tuesday in Doha. The tournament is being used by Arab League nations as a warm-up ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will be held in Qatar.

Farmaajo, Villa Somalia noted, was invited by Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, with whom Somalia has enjoyed a cordial relationship under his administration. Qatar has funded Farmajo's election in 2017, according to the opposition leaders.

His trip comes at the time Somalia is locked in an election limbo in which Villa Somalia has been blamed. A section of opposition leaders led by former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have asked for the cancellation of Lower House elections, citing malpractices.

The team met Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble on Sunday where they tablet grievances, including alleged interference of elections by Farmaajo and his allies. They accused the Federal Indirect Elections Team [FIET] and some State Indirect Elections Team [SIET] of colluding with Villa Somalia to rig potential winners.

Although the government has strongly denied the allegations, the opposition did earlier this year successfully challenge a number of people who were included in FIET. It's alleged that Farmaajo, thorough former National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] boss Fahad Yasin, installed state operatives in the committee.

Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist, was sacked by PM Mohamed Hussein Roble from his role as NISA Director but was quickly absorbed by Farmaajo as his security advisor in Villa Somalia. He also has strong ties with Qatar, where he worked for many years.

Farmaajo is set to face a host of candidates in the upcoming presidential elections key among them Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud along with former PM Hassan Ali Khaire and Wadajir party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur.

GAROWE ONLINE