Somalia's Farmajo clings to power despite popular rejection

Somalia's opposition politicians have cautiously welcomed President Farmajo's move to drop a controversial two-year extension of his term in office, but questions remain on his intentions.

Farmaajo made his promise to appear before parliament in a televised statement in the early hours of Wednesday morning, a move analysts suggested was intended to signal he was placing the question of his proposed term extension in parliament's hands.

The speaker of the lower house of parliament has confirmed an extraordinary session on Saturday to formally nullify the extension, which the lower house of parliament had given Farmajo earlier this month.

While members of the opposition supported Farmajo's announcement Tuesday, they remain skeptical about the next moves by the president, whose term in office expired in February.

"His speech was meaningless, insulting and disrespectful," Abdirahman Abdishakur of the Wadajir opposition party said in a Facebook statement.

The president simply transferred responsibility to parliament, said Omar Mahmood, an analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

"There has been a track record of delays and diversionary tactics associated with this electoral cycle," he said, so the opposition may be wary of further negotiations.

Forces loyal to opposition leaders and government security agencies had clashed in Mogadishu on Sunday, injuring several people. But residents who fled their neighborhoods are returning home now that the president and Prime Minister are calling for calm.

The United States has urged federal government leaders to resume dialogue immediately, saying political conflict will only destroy Somalia's hopes for peace and stability.