Nation in Crisis: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's Failing Leadership
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Wednesday May 07, 2025 - 16:51:55 in Articles by Xaaji Faysal
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The very nature of the National Consultative ...
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia opened the National Consultative Council meeting in Mogadishu, an event that, at first glance, may appear to signal progress. However, the reality paints a far more troubling picture. The meeting, rather than symbolising unity, only highlighted the deep fractures within the Somali Federal Government and underscored the continuing failure of President Mohamud to bring together a nation that desperately needs stable and inclusive leadership.
Somalia remains mired in political fragmentation, insecurity, and economic instability, despite the billions of dollars the international community has poured into the country over the years. Much of the blame lies with the ineffectiveness and divisive leadership of President Mohamud, who has now led the country during two non-consecutive terms marked by corruption, mismanagement, and empty rhetoric.
The very nature of the National Consultative Council meeting exemplifies the failure of this administration. The Puntland regional government—widely regarded as the most stable, secure, and economically advanced region in Somalia—boycotted the gathering. This boycott is a significant blow to the legitimacy of the forum, as Puntland has long been a key player in any meaningful effort to establish a unified federal government.
Jubaland, another strategically vital federal member state, also refused to participate. The absence of these two influential regions leaves the so-called "consultation" with little credibility and even less potential to bring about genuine national consensus. It is a damning indictment of a president who continues to posture as a unifier while failing to secure the participation of the very actors essential for any federal dialogue.
Perhaps most egregiously, President Mohamud extended an invitation to Abdulkadir Ahmed Aw-Ali Firdhiye, the leader of the SSC (Sool, Sanaag and Cayn) faction—an armed group actively engaged in conflict in the Lascano'd district. This area is internationally recognised as part of Somaliland, a country that has enjoyed relative peace and development, in stark contrast to southern Somalia’s persistent instability.
By inviting a factional rebel leader from a disputed territory, President Mohamud not only undermines international norms but also escalates tensions in a region already rife with conflict. His actions appear less about reconciliation and more about destabilisation, a political manoeuvre aimed at weakening Somaliland's progress rather than genuinely seeking national unity. In doing so, he has not only violated international principles but also sabotaged the very framework of federal cooperation he claims to uphold.
Under his watch, Somalia has been dragged backwards, towards the chaos of 1991 when civil war engulfed the nation and central authority collapsed. His administration has done little to restore the people's confidence in governance or create meaningful pathways for reconciliation and state-building. Instead, President Mohamud has squandered international goodwill and financial support, allowing billions of dollars to vanish into a corrupt system with little to show in terms of sustainable development or national cohesion.
Somalia deserves a leadership committed to genuine federalism, peace, and transparency—not one driven by personal ambition and short-term political games. It is a great shame that, in 2025, the country is still ensnared in the same political traps that have haunted it for decades.
Unless there is a fundamental change in direction, Somalia will continue to suffer under weak and divisive leadership, and the international community must begin to reassess its support for a government that has consistently failed to govern.
By: Abdirahman Buni
Laambad
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