Hiiraan Online
Sunday, June 19, 2011
On Sunday, Hiiraan Online learnt that over the past few days, a team from the Ugandan government has been pursuing Farmaajo in his office in what appeared to be a move to persuade the premier to resign, but in vain.
"You are peacekeepers and you should focus on your job. The solution for Somalia political problem is an issue for the Somalis but not anybody else’s” Farmaajo was quoted in some of the local media in his reply to the team.
Sources from the office of the prime minister revealed that Farmaajo categorically refused leaving his government portfolio, as the team from Uganda failed to meet their expectations.
One reliable source told HOL that the Kampala team composed of about five officials were sent by President Museveni who was the chief mediator during the signing of the Kampala Accord which required the resignation of premier Farmaajo within a period of 30 days.
Uganda's chief of Defence Forces Major General Aronda Nyakairima who reportedly led the team requested the prime minister to visit Uganda in order to meet with president Museveni.
HOL learnt that ever since pro-Farmaajo protests marred the restive capital Mogadish where Somalis have sharply declined to support the Kampala agreements, Uganda has been making efforts to cool down the political tempers in Somalia.
Somalia’s president Sharif and parliament speaker Hassan have signed an agreement that sidelined the office of prime minister, an issue that has since raised the storm from in and outside the Horn of Africa nation.
Last week, Farmaajo defiantly appeared in the local media where he announced that he is not going to resign without the involvement of the Somali parliament and the cabinet.
The ambitious Ugandan attempt to influence the prime’s resignation however ended without any results casting doubt on the future role of Kampala whose 5000 force are battling with insurgency group Al-Shabaab.