Garowe talks on cliff-edge as Madobe exits, Haaf declares ‘failure’
By T. Roble
The weeklong talks in Garowe inched closer to total collapse in the last 12 hours as Galmudug president declared it ‘failed’ as Jubbaland’s Ahmed Madobe exited amid tension in Kismayu.
Haaf who has been in marathon talks with Federal Government team led by president Mohamed Farmaajo fired the first salvo last night accusing Mogadishu of ‘deviating from the agenda and disrespecting’ Galmudug constitution.
In a statement last night, Haaf pointed fingers at the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) of manipulating the talks and opting out of the agenda which included elections, resources sharing and security among others.
“It is clear that the Federal Government is not ready and does not want any cooperation between the Federal Member States (FMS) to resolve these problems,” Haaf said. He also accused FGS of interference in Galmudug and Jubbaland.
The Galmudug leader added Galmudug was ‘disappointed by on collapse of the talks’ which started on 5th March. The mistrust which has defined relations between the FGS and FMS since Farmaajo came to office February 2017 appeared to play out in the talks lending little headroom for any concrete agreements.
TERM EXTENSION
Sources privy to the meeting intimated to Goobjoog News the talks which brought together the FGS and FMS leaders degenerated into a Galmudug question with term extension toping the agenda. According to sources, Haaf stood ground that the term of the current administration extends to 2021 in line with the post-Djibouti Pact Constitution.
FGS on the other side routed for one year extension after it became clear that holding elections in May as it demanded earlier was impractical. According to the founding Constitution of the Galmudug, the term of the current administration ought to lapse this month.
A one year extension is a good deal for FGS as it accords it the chance to push for its man in the central Somalia state by mid next year ahead of the general elections later in the year. Having secured South West state, clinching Galmudug would be a boon.
Madobe who is also facing an election in July left the meeting this morning for Kismayu dealing a major blow to the meeting. A scuffle ensued at Kismayu Airport Thursday after former Jubbaland spokesman and ex-Madobe comrade Abdinasir Siraar reportedly refused to be searched leading to injury of four soldiers as fire exchange broke out. Siraar is challenging Madobe in the upcoming polls.
With Madobe’s exit and Haaf’s dismissal of the meeting (though he still remains in Garowe), the talks which were seen as critical in breaking the two year long standoff between the two levels of government are now on the cliff edge.