Former PM apologizes over NISA attack in opposition leader's house

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Reconciliation among Somalia's leading opposition leaders continues to build up following the latest apology issued by former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire to Wadajir leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, ahead of a meeting scheduled for Saturday in Mogadishu.

Since leaving office in July, Khaire has been meeting his former foes cum allies in what could be a strategy to build a solid opposition alliance that would challenge President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in the upcoming polls, which after all are facing hurdles over the membership of election committee team.

But on Friday in Mogadishu, Khaire met Abdishakur for the first time in as many years where he tendered his formal apology to the opposition leader. President during the function was former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and top leadership within Somalia's opposition cycles.

In December 2017 when Khaire was Prime Minister, security officers from NISA raided the residence of Abdishakur Warsame in Mogadishu leading to an ugly confrontation. One security guard was killed while Warsame was wounded, reports indicated.

"I paid a courtesy call on the leader of Wadajir party and presidential candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur at his residence tonight, where I apologized to him for the 17 December 2017 incident on his house," Khaire confirmed shortly after visiting the Wadajir Party leader.

The meeting comes ahead of a consultative dialogue scheduled for Saturday in Mogadishu which would bring together oops bigwigs. Warsame arrived in Mogadishu on Friday ahead of the meeting before hosting Khaire at his residence.

"I returned to Mogadishu today. I thank the friends and supporters who accorded me a very warm welcome. A lot of important work ahead of us in the coming days" said the veteran leader in a tweet on Friday.

Analysts believe that the ongoing reconciliation effort among opposition leaders would lead to the formation of an alliance that would tackle President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in the coming elections. The team will issue a joint communique on Monday according to sources.

GAROWE ONLINE