WardheerNews Editorial

Elected in May 2022, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud instilled hope in the people of Somalia with his guiding principle of “Somalia at peace with itself and with the world.” He is far from achieving any part of this principle after three years. On the contrary, the country has succumbed to anarchy, unprecedented corruption engulfed all sectors of his administration, and internal disintegration looming large.

At the last meeting in Kampala, Uganda on 25th April 2025, between Somalia and the troops contributing countries under African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was advised to bring on board all Somali stakeholders within 90 days. The spirit of this advice was to bring normalcy to the deteriorating conditions. If that does not happen, he was alerted, the commitment of troops from contributing countries may not materialize.

Unfortunately, since then, some countries completely withdrew their commitments to partake in the AUSSOM, while others, financing countries like the US, either scaled down or completely withdrew their support.

On the AUSSOM troops supporting side, the effort is fading. The two major power fighting Somalia’s soul (Egypt and Ethiopia) have informed the Secretary of the African Union (AU) that neither of them would participate in Somalia’s AUSSOM peacekeeping. The reasons for this are many, but two issues top the list. First, both countries cited financial issues. The second could be that neither country sees President Hassan’s dealings as either strategic or honest. In other words, he is talking to both sides from both sides of his mouth. And to that, they said no.

Adding insult to injury, not only did President Hassan choose not to heed the advice given to him by international partners, but he doubled down this week by announcing his party to the chagrin of many. By design, he maliciously changed his entire administration into his party, thus, he owns the government. And his last move divided the country more. All former and current leaders and opposition, as well as potential candidates for the 2026 election, have opposed his latest political stunt. Dividing the country at this time is a recipe for total disintegration.

Somalia’s anarchy is measured by the endemic crisis in its security infrastructure. Since President Hassan took office, the Somali National Army (SNA) has become so weak that it may not be able to defend the capital of Mogadishu from falling to the renewed muscle of Al-Shabaab terrorists. The highly praised Macawsley militia has completely disintegrated. Macawisly’s region (Hirshabelle) is obliterated by new offenses, and, as a result, Al-Shabaab is within reach of the capital.

As a result, fear seems to be stalking the residents of Mogadishu; businesses are frozen, and the movement of goods and air traffic has significantly declined. Financial stress is felt by the government since foreign supplementary help and budget support are dwindling. In the last US Senate hearings on Africa, President Hassan’s reign was painted as a dark pit where no feasible hope seems to emerge from.

Corruption, to President Hassan Sheikh, is not his vice but his trademark (Ceebtiisa ma aha ee waa caadadiis). Initially, he was accused of robbing public land for his private use by selling the former government land and channeling the proceeds to his family account. Add to that the positions he filled first with his clan members, then with his sub-clan individuals, and finally with his immediate family. It is uncommon, but rather a repeated practice, to see a delegation of 7 or 8 members drawn only from his clan and still see him remaining oblivious to the feelings of other stakeholders in the national government. This is a new low in Somalia. Additionally, most of the key ambassadorial posts are assigned to his clan members.

His immediate family has also assumed an extraordinary role in his administration. His young daughter and his son are both employed at higher levels. His thirty-something niece is his military advisor. His other relative is the omnipresent and overbearing protocol officer.

The President is also accused of giving airport plum contracts to his wife, the same wife whose extra-large poster towers over the presidential building at Villa Somalia. No Somali president has ever placed his wife or family members as a national symbol on public buildings. It is both tacky and irritating! President Hassan did it. At this point, the question is, why did he do this? Is this constitutional? What happened to the President’s faith and feelings (maxaa iimaankiisii helsy)?

The communicative effects of these and many other factors, such as a lack of expertise by most of his cabinet members, nepotism, a lack of clear division of labor at the highest level of his government, and concentrated decision-making in the hands of the President, made today’s Somalia nothing more than a shell government.

President Hassan’s unorthodox approach to governance is seen in his unwavering tendency to attend any meeting about Somalia, even if it is below the prestige of the office. By some accounts, the President travelled over 400 times in three years.

Or, some of his ministers whose skills to represent their country are so low that the only thing they earn for their country is shame and embarrassment. There have been cases where Somali delegations – be they the President or his representatives – ended up laughing stocks at meetings where what they said was intelligible to either participating or to the million who had watched on social media.

Why President Hassan is doing this is perplexing. Somalia today has well-educated men and women who can easily work on behalf of their country. Nonetheless, he refused to utilize people who can help their country, but rather fell back on nepotism and incompetence.

Finally, Somalia has disintegrated in the last three years. For example, the National Consultative Council (NCC) is practically non-existent for Puntland, the oldest and most stable federal member state, and Jubbaland is no longer working with Villa Somalia. The remaining state leaders have run out their terms, so they are ruling their respective regions without a mandate.

Worse, internal disintegration has been designed and applied to some of the states. For example, Puntland is now Puntland and SSC-Khaatumo; Hirshabelle is about to disintegrate into Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle. Also, President Hassan’s administration is accused of planning to split Jubaland into Kismayo and Garbahaarey.

Many warned that after Hassan’s term, there may not be the Somalia that he inherited.

WardheerNews
Email: admin@wardheernews.com

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