Somalia: Farmaajo's ally sneaks to Kismayo weeks after ejection

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A senior advisor to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has finally sneaked into Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland, where he was ejected from a few weeks ago over claims that he was keen to bangle elections.

Abdi Ali Rage arrived in Mogadishu on Monday, in yet another move that could spark protests from opposition leaders who have been linking him elections theft in Jubaland. He's an advisor on elections to Farmaajo, whose term expired on Feb 8.

His trip came days after PM Mohamed Roble fired NISA's deputy director Kulane for barring ex-Gedo governor from leaving Mogadishu, Somalia. Roble had called for tolerance from government officials, arguing that all interested candidates should be allowed to travel across the country for campaigns.

Recently, Rage was ejected from Kismayo where he had traveled by Jubaland officials returning the plane airborne, forcing the pilot to return him to Mogadishu. His trip to Kismayo was suspicious given the impending local elections.

Multiple sources confirmed that the aircraft was denied landing rights, forcing the pilot to make a U-turn airborne, before returning to the Adan Adde International Airport in Mogadishu. The plane would later return to Kismayo without Rage hours later.

Before his cooperation with Mogadishu authorities, Rage served as Jubaland's Planning minister in the administration of Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe, the first president of the state. Madobe has been at loggerheads with Mogadishu over the Gedo region.

Even though he's serving as special advisor on elections matters, Rage is reportedly planning to run for a parliamentary seat in Jubaland. However, he's yet to openly declare his interest, with almost a month before the parliamentary polls kick-off.

Although the reason for his profiling by Jubaland authorities is not yet known, it is believed that he's the architect of the current political impasse between Mogadishu and Kismayo. For months, Farmajo and Madobe had not seen each other eye to eye until recently, during the pre-election conference.

"The aircraft I was traveling in made a return to Mogadishu when the pilot noticed that he can't land at Kismayo airport because of me," the estranged advisor said, accusing Jubaland authorities of unfair treatment.

The special advisor was to link up with Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who is in Kismayo for elections talks, which will mainly focus on elections in Gedo. The PM arrived in the coastal city of Kismayo on Wednesday in the company of a litany of FGS officials.

His presence in Kismayo may create discomfort further in the Horn of Africa nation. Jubaland authorities have been accusing him of collaborating with "enemies" to destabilize the state, which has been having issues with President Farmaajo's administration.

GAROWE ONLINE