Somalia: Farmaajo's misuse of SNA for political expedition

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army (SNA) celebrated its 62nd anniversary in Mogadishu on Tuesday, amid the ongoing campaign to rebuild the once strong army in East, Central, and Southern Africa.

The army had collapsed following years of internal differences.

In the 1970s and 80s, the SNA component was described as "tough" given the role it played in helping other African nations in achieving independence. The SNA soldiers were deployed to Mozambique and even in Angola for various missions.

But one of the most intriguing incidents of the prowess of the national army is its engagement during the Ogaden war. With proper mobilization, the army almost ran over the Ethiopian military and hundreds of people who had been mobilized to defend the Somali region from external aggression.

However, over the decades, since the ouster of Siad Barre and the subsequent installation of other regimes, the SNA component became a shadow of its former self. The emergence of Al-Shabaab militants and IS-Somalia has made it even more difficult to rebuild the army.

Over years, the African Union and the US Africa Command have played an integral role in rescuing the dwindling fortunes of the army, including training the soldiers.

The US trains Danab Special Forces – a critical force in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants who control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia. The Special Forces are on record for downing over 60 Al-Shabaab operatives last month.

The African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS), formerly known as African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has helped the national army to reclaim various strategic towns in the Horn of Africa nation, which were struggling with instability.

SNA Force and politics

During the celebration of the 62nd anniversary, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmaajo, presided over the function, lauding the force for its "tremendous" sacrifice to the country.

"We thank you for being our shield and sacrificing for our beloved nation and citizens at land, air, and sea for a safer Somalia," he said. "We dearly celebrate you for your victories on the battlefront, your bravery, patriotism, and serving Somalia with pride."

However, it's under his reign that complaints have surfaced on how the national army is being led, particularly with persistent claims that a number of contingents are directly involved in the country's fragile politics. Those mentioned in the quagmire are Turkish-trained Gorgor troops and the Haramacad police component.

Also in the mix are security forces attached to the National Intelligence Security Agency (NISA). More often than not, these forces are accused of targeting politicians and opposition leaders, with the classic example being the attack on Abdirahman Abdishakur's residence.

Last year, the national army almost got divided leading to a mutiny after Farmaajo attempted to push for an extension of his term. Most recently, the deployment of Gorgor troops to Beledweyne and the Gedo region to oversee elections caused anxiety.

While appreciating the role of the army, Major General (Rtd) Dahir Elmi said the SNA has a "strict" code of conduct but decried that, "As history reveals, army collapses when it meddles with politics. I urge the army to refrain from meddling in politics."

"Our vision is to build a professional army with [a] national outlook that protects the constitution and the laws of the nation, that is independent of politics and is built on broad political consensus," adds Abdirahman Abdishakur, who is a victim of the SNA wrath.

International partners led by the US have previously asked the army to "stop meddling" in the politics of the country and even threatened to reduce funding. According to the team, the continued meddling could trigger a resurgence of Al-Shabaab terrorists in areas that have been liberated.

Skewed recruitment of SNA troops

Although Farmaajo has persistently refuted the claims, he has often been linked to skewed recruitment of the military, notably through clandestine means. The model of recruitment is usually against the traditions of the military.

According to Maj. General Dahir Elmi, the recruitment of the troops has been reduced to clan contests instead of patriotism, blaming Farmaajo for the current situation.

"Mohamed Farmaajo is following a clan-based army recruitment system. This often infringes the legal army recruitment model," said Dahir during a Twitter Space conversation with Garowe Online. "The new recruitment process allows loyalty to the clan instead of patriotism."

Dahir is a former Chief of Defence Forces.

Farmaajo is accused of secretly recruiting over 5,000 young men from his clan on the pretext that they were to train in Qatar. However, the team was diverted to Eritrea where they have been training since 2019 without the knowledge of the families.

As exposed by Garowe Online, the clandestine plan was hatched by Farmaajo and former NISA boss Fahad Yasin, who is currently the national security advisor to the presidency. Although the government initially denied the reports, it admitted later following protests by the families.

Multiple sources had confirmed that the troops were secretly being trained to help Farmaajo retain power. There are reports that in coming weeks, perhaps before the presidential polls, the soldiers will return to Somalia to "oversee elections".

At Eritrea, a report by the UN Special rapporteur claimed the troops participated in the Tigray war, a claim refuted by both Mogadishu and Addis Ababa. Some reports indicate that Somali troops and their Eritrean counterparts were responsible for the Axum massacre.

Whether Somalia will manage to make SNA professionals, remains to be seen. But on a positive note, the SNA Force is headed by Major General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, the youngest leader in the army’s history.

GAROWE ONLINE