While the grinding of men and material goes on unhindered around Goojacadde and Maraaga plains, Somaliland’s two main military settlements at the outskirts of Laascaanood, Villa Somalia political machine on behest of President Ismail Omar Guelleh (IOG) goes into action to prop up the declining political fortunes of President Muse Bihi and Somaliland.
When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, IOG and President Bihi met in Djibouti in December 2022, their discussions included the finalization of their long running plan to thwart federalism in Somalia and replace it with President Hassan Sheikh’s long sought after ‘north-south’ Somalia plan, or more aptly Somalia-Somaliland confederation, where SSC-Khatumo is to fall under Somaliland and Puntland under Somalia.
As for Jubaland, President IOG assured President Hassan Sheikh that President Ahmed Madobe will be fully on board with the masterplan. In a highly publicized meeting in Djibouti, about two weeks after his meetings with Presidents Hassan Sheikh and Muse Bihi, President Guelleh, on 16 January 2023, welcomed President Ahmed Madobe to the Presidential Palace and reached an amicable deal with the Jubaland strongman. “I received the President of the Somali region of Jubaland, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Islam, to strengthen the links of exchanges and cooperation between our two parties,” was President Guelleh’s only statement to the press, but the secret has since leaked.
The masterplan was ready to go into action. No more Puntland and no more Jubaland, and indeed no more federal member states (FMS). President Hassan told his (Irir-Samaale) partners it was time to implement the masterplan.
SSC-Khatumo never entered into President Hassan Sheikh’s lexicon. And Garaad Jama Garaad Ali and SSC-Khatumo traditional leaders never rang a bell in President Hassan’s masterplan. But thwarted and thumped his masterplan they did. From nowhere, instead of a Somalia-Somaliland reorganization and a confederation masterplan, as demanded by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somaliland is now, for all practical purposes, on the brink of a full collapse.
Instead of burying Puntland and Jubaland for dead, President Hassan Sheikh received a new assignment – save Somaliland.
Enter Abdikarim Hussein Guled, President IOG favorite southern Somalia politician, also a close kin, the failed former president of Galmudug. During his short stint in Galmudug, with the backing of then Villa Somalia, Abdikarim torched the city of Galkayo with endless conflict and clan hostilities. Of course, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud was then the President of Somalia, his first stint at Villa Somalia, a bloody presidential term Mudug region and the people of Galkayo in particular have dearly paid for in blood. Fortunately, on 10 January 2017, Abdikarim Guled was impeached by the Galmudug parliament, and similarly, Hassan Sheikh was defeated by President Farmaajo a month later on 8 February 2017.
But this time, Abdikarim Hussein Guled’s assignment isn’t to create new hostilities in Galkayo on behalf of President Hassan Sheikh, but to achieve what his boss couldn’t – help Somaliland overcome SSC-Khatumo and prevent intra-Isaaq clan strife in Hargeisa that may lead to a full collapse mode. One way to prevent such a collapse is to make sure that SSC-Khatumo is always lumped into Somaliland polity and clan strife, so at least, the political jargon ‘Somalia-Somaliland’ stays on the headlines.
It isn’t only Abdikarim Hussein Guled that is assigned to erase the SSC-KHATUMO struggle and identity, but Villa Somalia, from President Hassan Sheikh down to cabinet members and even state media are all instructed to downplay the politics of SSC-KHATUMO and to not treat as separate from Somaliland.
FGS is keen to the resolution of the ongoing crisis in Somaliland. HE @HassanSMohamud’s appointment of HE @AHGuled as Envoy for Somaliland Affairs, is a testament to how this admin takes this matter seriously. Indeed, the president hit the nail on the head with this appointment. pic.twitter.com/yZbLvJBElF
— Abshir Axmad (@SenatorAbshir) April 6, 2023
Fortunately, nothing is hidden from public view anymore, and nothing goes unnoticed either. Instead of Somalia-Somaliland talking-points, Abdikarim Guled is now reduced to denying ‘Irir-Samaale clanism’ and that he hasn’t talked with and isn’t a supporter of ‘Hooley,’ the self-proclaimed leader of a so-called Irir-Samaale tribe, who also happens to now be the VIP guest of President Muse Bihi in Hargeisa, purporting to be uniting the political and military power of Dir and Hawiye tribes against SSC-KHATUMO and the Darood group of clans. The Dir tribe umbrella unites IOG’s Issa and Muse Bihi’s Isaaq group of clans.
Beenin
Ergayga gaarka ah ee Arimaha Somaliland waxuu beeninayaa in uusan jirin marnaba wax xiriir iyo wadal ah oo dhexmaray isaga iyo ninka la yiraahdo Hooley.
Haddaba Ergaygu waxuu caddeynayaa in warka ninkaasu sheegay yahay mid been abuur ah oo aan sal iyo raad laheyn. pic.twitter.com/Zb5E7W0TOe
— Abdikarim Hussein Guled (@AHGuled) April 6, 2023
Now, with Muse Bihi’s army facing an imminent defeat and allegedly his army running out of ammunition, IOG just today on a daylight for all to see, sent over 10 truck loads of armaments. And not only that, but the trio are once again expected to meet in Djibouti right after Ramadan. Expect new adjustments to the ‘Irir-Samaale’ masterplan.
As for President Ahmed Madobe no word from him, as of yet, if he will or wont attend this round in Djibouti.
Daljir Media
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