The announcement on February 8 2017 that Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo had won the elections in a second round brought the capital into a celebration mood.
Farmaajo had ascended into power enjoying a high public approval and an equal high expectation by the same public.
One year down the lane has Farmaajo meet the peoples’ expectations?
Security in a country that is still emerging from a long civil war is the number one priority in the Horn of Africa country.
In his one year in office Somalia was hit with the deadliest ever attack in its history. The October 14 bombing in the capital Mogadishu killed 512 people.
After the bombing Farmaajo declared war against Alshabaab, the second declaration since taking over office and a “final offensive” was announced but to date yet to be launched.
The country remained for three months without the head of National Intelligence Service Agency and Police Commander after they were sacked following a second bombing in the month of October
“It was a security blander to leave a vacuum in the two posts for three months. Like other sectors we have the administration would hire and fire within months of service and this affect performance of government officials” Mohamed Abdow a political commentator told Radio Dalsan.
The year also saw US cut its funding to the Somalia National Army citing corruption.
The Farmaajo-Kheyre leadership faced a backlash and a set back to the public approval it enjoyed at its advent following the rendition of Ethiopia’s ONLF leader Qalbi Dhagah.
In December the arrest of opposition figure Abdirahman Warsame again put the leadership under scope. Five guards were killed in the raid.
“The government tabled and endorsed some 16 legislative Bills including the Telecommunications Bill, which is an integral pillar to economic recovery and hence nation building and also legislation establishing an Anti-corruption Commission. In addition, the government has completed the process of nominating an Independent Human Rights Commission as directed by the Provisional Constitution adopted on August 1, 3012” Abdi Hosh Somalia’s Minister of constitution said in a post.
“The government has updated and energised a National Security Architecture with an integration of forces mechanism and clear adherence to UN Security Council flagging posts. The government has mobilised both local and diaspora communities to successfully respond to the recurrent famine in Somalia and its response of last year was laudable” he added.
Farmaajo government has also been seen to be supportive to the constitutional review process with the commission currently going around the country to collect views.
Unlike in previous administration Farmaajo has maintained a bond with the Office of The Prime Minister but it remains to be seen how long this can hold if history is anything to go by.
