Borama, Somaliland – Mohamed Abib, a member of Somaliland’s House of Representatives, received a rousing welcome as he arrived in Borama, the capital of the Awdal region, on Wednesday.
Hundreds of people gathered to show their support for the MP, who is from the area and was elected to represent it.
The purpose of Abib’s visit is to consult with the community he represents, as there are growing tensions between the Awdal region and the central Somaliland administration led by President Muse Bihi.
Abib plans to hold meetings with local intellectuals and leaders to discuss issues facing the Awdal people. He hopes these discussions will help him make informed decisions as he returns to the capital, Hargeisa.
However, Abib’s homecoming has been complicated by serious charges filed against him by the Somaliland Prosecutor’s Office.
The prosecution has accused Abib of meeting with officials from the Somali embassy in Djibouti and discussing Somaliland’s military affairs – an allegation the MP has confirmed, saying he traveled to Djibouti in late May to obtain his passport.
In a Facebook post from the trip, Abib was photographed with Djibouti’s Finance Minister, Ilyas Dawaleh, and wrote about discussing progress on a road connecting Somaliland and Djibouti.
This has raised concerns, as relations between Somaliland and Djibouti have deteriorated since Bihi signed a maritime agreement with Ethiopia.
The Prosecutor’s Office has now asked the Somaliland House of Representatives to waive Abib’s parliamentary immunity so he can be formally charged. This has added to the tense atmosphere surrounding the MP’s visit to his home region.
As Abib meets with the Awdal community, the charges against him and the broader tensions with the Bihi administration loom large. The outcome of this visit could have significant implications for Somaliland’s delicate political landscape.
