Somalia: Mogadishu Mayor at loggerheads with top leaders

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The relations between the mayor of Mogadishu Thabit Abdi Mohamed and the top Somali Federal Government leaders reached its lowest level, Garowe Online reports.

GO has learned that Mohamed who is also the governor of Benadir region had involved corruption and anti-government politics that infuriated by President Farmajo and Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire.

Sources said the growing rift came after the mayor stepped up his bid seeking Mogadishu security to be brought under his administration out of the government hands, and mobilizing local clans speak the capital's status and self-determination.

Mohamed, a former diplomat at Somali Embassy in Washington was accused of fraud, misappropriation of public land and region's resources for his own political interests.

On Friday, 19th January, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has issued a statement halting allocation, leasing, and selling of public lands in Mogadishu, an apparent message directed to the Mayor.

"I assure the Somali citizens that a national committee will be tasked with the investigation of the land issues to ensure that no public land is used for private purposes," read the statement in part.

Due to this deadlock, Mogadishu Mayor lowered collaboration with top government leaders, especially Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, a former friend in the first few months of his nomination in 2017.

Several prominent elders have convened an overnight meeting in Mogadishu to show solidarity with the Mayor and released a joint statement calling on the Federal government to allow people in the capital a self-autonomy.

The elders condemned the President's statement on the public land sale as "defamatory", saying they believe it was made in order to cause a significant harm to the Mayor's reputation.

"After the fallout with former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Mohamed established a close bond with Fahad Yasin and joined Farmajo's election campaign in 2017," an analyst familiar with the mayor's bio.

Mohamed served as the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Palace, Villa Somalia during past Federal government and lost his post after falling out with Farah Abdulkadir, ex-minister, and current Federal lawmaker.

GAROWE ONLINE