The following writing is about a current precarious situation in Somalia that I have experienced, seen and heard from conversations with local and political figures while I was recently in Somalia. Somalia is in great peril from the failed leadership of acting president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmaajo, who is a great disappointment to the Somali community everywhere.

The acting president has refused to step down since his term ended on Feb. 7. He was a U.S. resident living in Buffalo, New York, for 25 years before he became the president in 2017. After his election, he rushed to join the club of dictators — namely Qatar, Turkey, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Iran.

For the first two years of his tenure, Farmaajo put the Somali parliament and judiciary branch under his control by pushing out major players, such as former House Speaker Mohamed Jawari. He manipulated state elections where he put in place three governors who are loyal to him in the states Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and South West.

During those governor elections, dozens of people died in Galmudug and South West State. These atrocities were caused by the government military militant groups Haramcad and Gorgor with the help of Ethiopian troops.

Instead of moving Somalia forward, he worked hard to secure his bid for re-election by manipulating, shaking up the political structure, and getting rid of his critics. He befriended Eritrea’s dictator, who has been in power for almost 30 years, and used him as his mentor and advisor.

The Farmaajo regime uses Eritrea as its main source of military training and its weapons and ammunitions supplier. Qatar also funds Eritrea for that purpose. Eritrea and Turkey trained about 30,000 Somali state police and guardians. Most of these trainees are young, some just 15 years old.

These military militants are grouped according to their sinister functional operations. They are called Haramcad (meaning leopard) the state police, Gorgor (meaning eagle) night fighters, Waran (meaning headspear) intelligence hitmen, Dufan (meaning hurricane) child soldiers mostly from the region Gedo (which is also Farmaajo’s hometown). The Farmaajo regime uses these military groups to oppress political dissidents and to scare Somali citizens.

Farmaajo chose Mohamed Roble, who is a blind loyalist of his, as prime minister. Roble has no political competence and no practical experience in politics. I think Roble is a puppet and naïve. He does everything Farmaajo tells him to do, with the promise that he will remain the prime minister if Farmaajo gets re-elected.

Farmaajo did everything to eliminate competition so that he can get re-elected.

For example, Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame — who is one of 20 people who ran for president in 2017 and who has been a strong critic of Farmaajo’s administration — was arrested by Somali security forces in 2017, charged with treason. All five of his bodyguards were killed during the raid and arrest, and Abdishakur was wounded.

In 2021, the military group fired at him and former prime minister while they were peacefully protesting the Somali government.

In February, in a clash between opposition leaders and government security forces, the Maida Hotel in Mogadishu — where former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh were staying  — was attacked. The two men are both critics of Farmaajo.

People reacted strongly against Farmaajo’s self-appointed extension to serve as president, and they fully expressed their desire of democratic leadership through demonstrations in the streets of Mogadishu. The public demonstrators called Farmaajo to step down.

It is believed that, on April 25, Farmaajo ordered military groups under his command to attack stronghold quarters of the opposition groups in civilian sections of Mogadishu. Haramcad, Gorgor, Waran, and Duufaan. There were many civilian casualties and thousands were displaced.

All these facts mentioned above are indications of the tyrannical behavior of an autocratic leadership that utilizes kakistocracy rule.

The Somali people hope that U.S.-educated people are strengths of their nascent democracy, but never thought about struggling to fight for their rights and freedoms against a new dictator who was educated and once lived in the United States.

Dr. Said Mohamud is chairman of the Somali People’s Party and a 2021 Somali presidential candidate.

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