MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo is mobilizing fresh troops in attempts to oust his Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, a week after he was accused of an attempted coup, Mogadishu-based Mustaqbal Radio reported on Friday.
Several opposition politicians earlier warned against military preparations made by the President after he had failed to challenge a meeting of the National Consultative Council, which has kicked off in Mogadishu this week under backing of Somalia’s international partners.
More than two hundred special forces, who had been initially transported to the presidential palace by vehicles belonging to senior officials, were supplied with weapons and were seen at the gates of the palace. They were earlier disguised as people visiting the President’s residence, according to Mustaqbal and other local radio stations.
The leader of Wadajir opposition party Abdirahman Abdishakur said last week rival troops were occupying positions on the rooftops of the President and Prime Minister’s offices inside Villa Somalia, in a sign showing that tensions were not over and clashes could break out any time at the residences of the Horn of Africa country’s most powerful leaders.
More than 1000 members of the army are guarding the Prime Minister’s office, who had gathered there on December 27, when Roble announced that he had survived a coup attempt allegedly orchestrated by the President. Some threatened earlier that they would advance on the President’s residence to dislodge him, saying that would be the only way to bring an end to months-long standoff on elections.
Some of the military vehicles deployed outside the Prime Minister’s office were fitted with artillery weapons, according to Reuters news agency.
Armed forces chiefs warned last week that the country’s security and defense forces must not exceed their mandate and meddle in politics as a power struggle between Farmajo and Roble appears to be escalating.
At a meeting of the National Consultative Council in Mogadishu, Roble on Thursday proposed that he would take full charge of security, arguing that in doing so he would prevent the President, who is also running for re-election, from using the armed forces in attempts to hijack or undermine elections. But regional presidents allied with Farmajo walked of the summit, expressing anger at Roble’s proposal, which has won the support of opposition leaders, and Puntland and Jubaland presidents.
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