By Abdullahi A. Nor The Standoff No One Saw Coming Cabinet reshuffles in Somalia often fail to garner significant attention, as they are widely perceived as superficial and ineffective. Nevertheless, in the grand theater of Somali politics, where power struggles often resemble a well-scripted drama, the latest showdown is unfolding at the Ministry of Defense....
By Isha Qarsoon[1] Introduction Somalia stands at a crossroads. So do its supporters. The international institutions and nations that have invested in Somalia’s institution-building—the United Nations and its agencies, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, and key European nations such as...
By Abdikarim Haji Abdi Buh Oil and gas exploration is a time-intensive and capital-intensive endeavor. The journey from discovery to commercial production typically spans 15 to 20 years. A case in point is Uganda, where oil was declared commercially viable in January 2006, yet the earliest projections for actual production are set for 2026—a full...
By Abdulkadir Mohamed Osman Fahad Yasin, a prominent figure in President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s administration, held influential roles as Chief of Staff and Head of Intelligence. His immense influence within the government earned him the nickname “Milkeeleh Villa Somalia,” meaning the de facto owner of the government. Fahad’s central role in decision-making and his proximity...
By Ahmed A. Yusuf Two months after taking the oath of office in May 2022, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud abruptly announced a campaign to eradicate Al-Shabaab. This sudden declaration caught politicians, civil society, and even Somalia’s Somali National Army (SNA) off guard. In military tradition, launching a war requires meticulous preparation—something that was glaringly absent...
By Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, Member of Federal Parliament and the Leader of Wadajir Party Somalia stands at a critical juncture in its battle against Al-Shabaab as the militant group escalates its offensive against the Somali National Army (SNA) and local community forces. Despite earlier successes in pushing back the insurgents, recent months have witnessed a...
By Mohamed A Yasin The explosion on Mogadishu’s sunbaked El-Gaabta road on March 18, sent plumes of smoke spiraling into the sky. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s armored convoy had passed moments earlier, narrowly escaping a mine intended for Somalia’s most guarded man. The message was unmistakable: “A snake in the grass threatens even the swiftest...
By Abdulfatah Hussein The article Ethiopia’s Cash Cow: The Kenni Cabal Draining the Somali Region exposed how an entrenched OPDO elite, known as the Kenni Cabal, has siphoned resources from the Somali region for the last six years. But before them, the TPLF-led EPRDF ruled the region in much the same way, draining its wealth...
By Abdullahi A. Nor Polygamy has been a subject of considerable debate in the Muslim world, with different interpretations arising from the Quranic text, historical practices, and contemporary legal frameworks. While some argue that Islam permits polygamy under any condition, others contend that it is only permissible in specific circumstances, particularly when justice can be...
By Abdiqani Haji Abdi In recent years, global policymakers have championed National Transformation Development Plans (NTPs) as blueprints for middle-income nations like Kenya, Tanzania and Malaysia to leapfrog into prosperity. For Somalia, however—a country still navigating the complexities of statehood after three decades of conflict—the allure of such sweeping strategies risks becoming a distraction. While...