SOMALIA: TFG President, PM Turns Rival as Both Running for Presidency

AN NNN-GAROWE ANALYSIS

MOGADISHU (NNN-Garowe) -- Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas reportedly have not seen eye to eye lately as both politicians have announced they are running for President.

The TFG under President Sharif for most of its tenure was a government barely controlling any districts in Mogadishu but since Al Shabaab’s exit of Mogadishu last year, the city has seen significant advancement in terms of security and development, albeit it still has a great deal to go.

Gaas who was appointed last year played an intricate role with the support of quasi-independent regions in turning the Somalia political process into an all inclusive federal states’ process.

Sharif and Gaas to a large number of Mogadishu residents have been a dynamic force – hero like after both survived assassination attempts - that has given the war-torn capital some hope.

Despite setbacks and accusations of corruption, the TFG with the support of other regions such as Puntland, Galmudug and Ahlu Sunnah group have ratified a constitution and are less than two weeks away from a permanent government.

However, things are changing for the super hero tandem as elections draw close, according to inside sources the beef between the two could threaten the political process. Although highly unlikely because of the huge amount of resources and time invested in ending this political process on schedule.

Gaas publicly announced on Tuesday that he is running for President of Somalia as the transitional government will come to an end Aug 20.

According to inside sources after his announcement, Sharif was distraught at his Prime Minister’s decision to run for office.

Unconfirmed reports say that Sharif and Gaas met with officials from the international community on Wednesday for hours, to discuss an unprecedented move by Sharif to reshuffle the TFG at this critical juncture.

Even though there are 11 days left in the current government, the move by Sharif would have dismissed Gaas and many other top officials of their positions.

At the Nairobi meeting earlier this week Sharif walked out of the talks between signatories reportedly annoyed by Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and Gaas’ delay.

According to inside sources, Sharif was upset that the two leaders met alone and had delayed the signatories meeting for 30 minutes.

Sources close to Gaas said that Sharif was also made evident of the fact that his Prime Minister was running for Presidency leading up to the Nairobi meeting earlier this week, a popular rumor circulating for months which was unconfirmed until Tuesday.

A popular Prime Minister, Gaas is a worthy contender for the Presidency which could threaten Sharif’s chances of making a return.

The two candidates along with Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sharif Adan and former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo are among the most experienced, however their political CV’s have been blemished by a report by the Somalia Eritrea Monitoring Group which accused the politicians of different scales of corruption while in office.

The report which was leaked very close to the presidential elections will have an indeterminate impact on the presidential elections.

As the dynamic duo will divorce in 11 days it will be extremely exciting to watch as a new Somali President will emerge. -- NNN-GAROWE