Mogadishu, SOMALIA – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s call today for a snap National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in Mogadishu on the dates 20-21 April has brought to the forefront the deeply entrenched clan-centric politics and tribalism that continue to plague Somalia’s political landscape. The President’s selective invitation list, which includes the governor of Banadir, a member of his own subclan within the Hawiye clan family, while excluding the Sool Sanaag and Cayn-Khatumo (SSC-K), a Darod-dominated region, has raised serious questions about his commitment to fostering a unified and inclusive federal system.
Mogadishu has now exposed its recognition of SSC-K as an Interim Administration as a short-lived political tactic, not a genuine effort to promote inclusive governance. This move was intended to spite Puntland and create difficulties for it during the January elections. By denying SSC-K a seat at the NCC table, the President has effectively signaled that the region’s concerns and aspirations are of little consequence to his administration, further entrenching the divisions and mistrust that have long characterized Somalia’s clan politics.
A Blatant Display of Tribalism
The upcoming NCC meeting’s inclusion of the Banadir governor, a position widely regarded as ceremonial and subject to the President’s whims, clearly exemplifies President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s clan-centric approach to governance. By extending an invitation to a member of his own subclan, the President has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the principles of fairness, equality, and merit that should guide the selection of participants in such high-level national gatherings.
This move has not only exposed the President’s deep-seated tribal loyalties but has also reinforced the perception that he is more concerned with consolidating power within his own clan than with building a truly inclusive and representative federal system. The elevation of a ceremonial position to the level of the NCC, based solely on clan affiliation, is a troubling indication of the President’s skewed priorities and his willingness to sacrifice national interests for the sake of narrow tribal allegiances.
The Federal Government of Somalia’s (FGS) failure to include SSC-K, a Darod-dominated region recognized as an Interim Administration just last year, on the list of invitees to the NCC meeting clearly manifests President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s clan-centric political maneuvering. This calculated move to exclude a significant Darod constituency from the national dialogue is a continuation of the President’s pattern of undermining the interests of rival clans in order to bolster his own power base.
The Constitutional Controversy: A Smokescreen for Clan-Centric Ambitions
The timing of the snap NCC meeting, coming just weeks after the FGS unveiled a controversial new Constitution for Somalia on 30 March 2024, has led many observers to conclude that the President is seeking to shore up support from allied FMSs and secure their recognition of the document. However, this attempt to legitimize the new Constitution through the NCC, despite the lack of broad-based political consensus, is nothing more than a smokescreen for the President’s clan-centric ambitions.
By pursuing constitutional reforms without addressing the fundamental concerns of the FMSs and other stakeholders, particularly those from rival clans, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice national unity and stability for the sake of consolidating his own power and advancing the interests of his clan. The boycott of the NCC meeting by Puntland, a key Darod-dominated region, is a clear indication of the deep-seated mistrust and resentment that the President’s clan-centric policies have engendered among rival clans.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s clan-centric approach to governance, as evidenced by his recent actions, threatens to undermine the fragile progress made towards a stable and inclusive federal system and could have devastating consequences for the nation’s future.
