Madobe slaps Farmaajo on face by barring his advisor from Kismayo

by: Staff Reporter | 09 July 2021 15:54

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Madobe slaps Farmaajo on face by barring his advisor from Kismayo

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - A close ally of the outgoing Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has been denied a visit to his home town in less than two years after the man decamped to Villa Somalia which at the time was at loggerheads with Ju

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Abdi Ali Rage who served as election advisor to Farmaajo

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - A close ally of the outgoing Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has been denied a visit to his home town in less than two years after the man decamped to Villa Somalia which at the time was at loggerheads with Jubbaland leader, Ahmed Mohamed Madobe.

A plane carrying Abdi Ali Rage who has been serving as election advisor to Farmaajo since mid-2020 was rejected permission to land at Kismayo Airport.

The Police Commissioner in the Lower Juba region, Isack Mohamud Dogor accused Rage of attempting to incite violence in the State.

"In recent days, the security forces have been following the activities of groups led by Abdi Ali Rage inside Kismayo, these cells were trying to smuggle illegal weapons into the city to create insecurity,” the Commander alleged.

According to the Commissioner, Rage wanted to use a fake name to enter Kismayo but the security agencies were tipped off.

An Independent source privy to the matter told Horn Observer that Rage who has support of Farmaajo was planning to hold talks with his elders over his candidacy ahead of the parliamentary election.

Rage who pledged Farmaajo count on him is seeking parliamentary seat in one of Jubbaland constituencies.

"Rage is supporting Farmaajo’s bid to re-elect. He was heading to Kismayu to convince his sub-clan from Ogaden to select him represent in the Lower House. Some of his elders who wanted receive him at the airport were denied entry into the airport,” the source explained.

Rage who spoke to local media dismissed the allegation levelled against him by Jubbaland authorities, saying he was planning to meet with his clan elders in Kismayo.

Prior to his appointment by Farmaajo, Rage worked with Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe) as one of his advisors. He was fired on 11 April 2019.

Analysts says rejection by Jubbaland state is a heavy blow to Farmaajo who had been trying to lobby influential politicians and individuals hailing Jubbaland state for his presidential bid.

Madobe and Farmaajo have been protesting over the control of Gedo region. The outgoing federal president who hails Gado wanted to have MPs from the region in hand hence deployed hundreds of heavily armed forces in the region.

The move led the federal government troops and Jubbaland forces to fight twice in Beled-Hawo, a town on Somalia’s border with Kenya and Ethiopia.

Farmaajo also replaced the local authorities in the region with his own men.

Mid-June last year, the Federal Government of Somalia announced that it would recognize Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) as the interim President of the Jubaland, reversing its previous position, the decision drawn quickly rebuffed by Jubbaland authorities.

The matter culminated into full-blown disagreement between Jubbaland and the federal government.

For months, Gedo question remained the most contentious pitying Farmaajo and Jubbaland president Ahmed Madobe both of which stood ground on control of elections in Garbaharey.

Last May, a meeting between the regional states and prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble resolve the matter and handed over the region to Jubbaland state but to date, according to insiders, the rift between Farmaajo and Madobe is ongoing yet.