Is Speaker Mursal Playing the Mercurial Janus-faced Politician?
By Prof. Hassan Keynan
Eight months ago Mogadishu was in the throes of a protracted and nasty political squabble engineered by Villa Somalia in cahoots with all kinds of political opportunists and predatory conmen in Mogadishu. The principal objective of Villa Somalia’s mission was to remove the then speaker of the Lower House of the Somali Parliament. Speaker Jawari was a lawyer and a veteran and skillful political operator. Most people saw the motion against Speaker Jawari as a routine, non-consequential matter. Many were busy to gain from it. Many realized what was going on but nonetheless decided to play mum. Many more were completely oblivious to the crisis unfolding before their eyes. And some did not care at all.
During the bloody month of April, I expressed my feelings and opinion in two sentences:
“Do not postpone a trouble brewing today to a peaceful Saturday. If you were oblivious to the consequential events that unfolded on 24 April, forget what happened on 30 April.”
On 24 April the Voice of America’s reputable investigative Dossier broadcasted a detailed and well-researched report alleging that the Federal Defense Minister, Mohamed Mursal, and Army Chief, Gen Abdiweli Jama Gorod, entered into a secret contract with SKA International in clear violation of the national procurement rules and procedures. That was the time when the Motion against Jawari was approaching its ugly and deadly zenith. Six days later, on 30 April 2018, the former Defense Minister who signed the Agreement was elected the Speaker of Lower House of the Federal Parliament. The Senior Minister, who broke the law and committed fraud, was handsomely rewarded and crowned as the country’s chief legislator.
The sad story unfolding in Mogadishu and the tragic incidents convulsing heavenly Baidoa and Southwest State can be traced to what happened 8 months ago. Villa Somalia’s dark design seems to be on course and on target, as planned. Is it possible that Speaker Mursal is playing the classic double agent game? The behaviour, action or inaction he has chosen to display in such foreboding and heavily consequential time is incomprehensible. There is a constitutional crisis in the country unfolding on his watch as the country’s chief legislator. And his home state is burning. And he is nowhere to be seen. At least he can diffuse the constitutional crisis by either proceeding with the Motion against the President, or by declaring it null and void.
Politics is a dirty game. The political game underway in Mogadishu seems to be dirtier and deadlier. Its corrosive and toxic ingredients may devour its principal practitioners.
Prof. Hassan Keynan is a former Professor at the Somali National University and a retired Senior UN Official