Ex President Farmaajo: Somalia Facing Dangerous Breakdown of State Institutions

MOGADISHU, Somalia: Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has sharply criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, warning that Somalia is entering a “critical and dangerous phase” marked by weakening state institutions, deepening political divisions and growing insecurity.

Speaking as political tensions continue to rise following recent clashes in Mogadishu, Farmaajo accused the government of steering the country toward instability and undermining institutions built over decades of state-building efforts.

The former president said Somalia was increasingly fitting a description once associated with remarks attributed to former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had characterized the country as having “no government, no army and no police.”

“Today, Somalia is proving those warnings right,” Farmaajo said at a press conference this Sunday afternoon, arguing that public confidence in state institutions has eroded under the current administration.

His remarks came amid a widening political crisis that has pitted President Hassan Sheikh’s government against opposition leaders, including former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire.

“There will be no Somalia if you continue down this path,” he said, adding, “Somaliland has already broken away and sought recognition from Israel.”

He emphasized: “Puntland and Jubaland are walking the same road. The federation is fracturing – region by region, piece by piece.”

Farmaajo also voiced concern over growing divisions within the country’s security forces, citing recent comments attributed to former Somali National Army commander Brig. Gen. Odawaa Yusuf Rageh.

According to Farmaajo, Odawaa had warned that if the military were drawn into political confrontations, soldiers could abandon national command structures and revert to clan loyalties, potentially fracturing one of the country’s most important institutions.

“If such a situation emerges, the unity of the armed forces could collapse,” said Farmaajo, who served as the 9th President of Somalia from 2017 to 2022 and as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2011.

His presidency focused on combating corruption and rebuilding the Somali National Army as part of broader state-building efforts. Since 2012, he has been the founder and leader of the Nabad iyo Nolol political party.

The former president questioned whether military and security officials involved in the current political standoff could feel secure after leaving office, arguing that Somalia risks sliding into a system where political disputes are increasingly resolved along clan lines rather than through national institutions.

His comments came as former President Sheikh Sharif alleged that government forces had surrounded his residence, cut off electricity and water supplies, and deployed drones over his home.

Sheikh Sharif described the measures as intimidation tactics and accused the government of targeting political opponents.

Turkey support

In a separate statement, Farmaajo claimed resources originally intended for counter-terrorism operations against Al-Shabaab were being redirected toward political confrontations.

“Resources designated for fighting Al-Shabaab are now being used against political rivals,” he said, warning that such actions risk weakening the country’s security efforts at a time when militants continue to pose a major threat.

Farmaajo’s criticism echoed growing opposition resistance to Turkey’s expanding influence in Somalia.

Opposition figures accuse Ankara of backing President Hassan Sheikh’s administration and enabling the use of security resources in domestic political disputes.

The sentiment was highlighted during recent clashes in Mogadishu, where Turkish-supplied armored vehicles were reportedly burned, an act supporters described as a rejection of foreign interference.

Turkey maintains that its military and economic support is intended to strengthen Somalia’s security and sovereignty.

Despite his criticism, Farmaajo called for dialogue among Somalia’s political leaders and announced that he had invited President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to a meeting aimed at finding common ground and defusing the current crisis.

The government has defended its recent actions, arguing that security forces were responding to armed opposition groups operating in residential areas of Mogadishu. Officials have accused opposition leaders of militarizing political disputes and insist that state institutions are acting within the law.

Meanwhile, Somalia’s Ministry of Health reported that clashes in Mogadishu on June 3 and 4 left at least 55 people injured and one person dead, underscoring growing concerns that the political standoff could deteriorate further if mediation efforts fail.

Farmaajo’s intervention reflects mounting alarm among Somalia’s political elite over the trajectory of the crisis, with fears that prolonged confrontation could undermine fragile security gains and deepen divisions within both the political class and the armed forces.

As negotiations continue behind closed doors, pressure is growing on Somalia’s leaders to find a political settlement before the country’s increasingly volatile dispute spills into a wider national crisis.

Read Next Article