Somalis won't recognize Farmaajo

President Mohamed, commonly known by his nickname Farmajo, was seeking a second term through indirect elections that were scheduled to be held late last year. 

Clan leaders from each member state in Somalia were set to choose the members of parliament, who would then elect the president. But he has accused opposition leaders of backing out of a deal reached last September that established the electoral process.

A coalition of opposition parties announced they no longer recognize President Farmaajo, whose term expired with no political agreement on how to replace him.

The alliance issued a statement calling for the creation of a transitional national council to govern the Horn of Africa nation until elections can be held. The coalition said it would not accept any effort to extend President Mohamed’s term.

Any move by Somalia’s president to extend his term risks undermining security and joint Somali and African Union forces’ efforts to defend the government’s seat of power from the militant group Al-Shabaab.

Meanwhile 12 members of Somalia’s security forces were killed, and two others wounded on Sunday following a powerful roadside explosion in the village of El Dhere, located west of Dhusamareb. The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Somalia is now headed towards a period of uncertainty with all of the government’s institutions serving beyond their constitutional terms. Opposition is planning to form a transitional government and the international community just looking on without a clear plan on saving the country from sliding back into another civil war.