Monday January 4, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - President Mohamed Farmaajo Sunday night held talks with South West state president Abdiaziz Lafta-Gareen amid growing political tensions as a consensus between the government and opposition groups becomes elusive.
Sources said the two leaders talked for long but there was no official communication from Villa Somalia on the meeting. Lafta-Gareen is among three other regional states presidents who were fronted and supported by Farmaajo into office.
The South-West president and his HirShabelle counterpart Ali Gudlaawe did not join their colleagues during a week-long forum in Garowe this past week.
Abdi Qoorqoor of Galmudug who is among the president’s men in the Federal Member States has recently been aligned to Puntland’s Abdullahi Deni, a fierce critic of Mogadishu.
The two leaders said last week they were ready to mediate the election talks. Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled also pledged to open talks with the opposition.
Sources told HOL Qoorqoor is expected to join the Villa Somalia meet.