The Relentless Bid: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Calculated Crusade for a Third Term
The relentless pursuit of power can often cloud judgment, but in this context, it reveals the depths of political ambition.
In one afternoon of Feb 2022, I sat alone in a quiet corner of Sheffield University library that has been closed to the public due to covid-until recently. Working on my PhD thesis which was du efor submission in a few weeks time, the constant anxiety of the deadline made me eerily proneto worry.
The relentless drive of leaders often shapes their paths, influencing their decisions in critical moments.
Thousands of miles away from the hilly terrain of Sheffield, Somalia’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections were fast approaching and Mohamed Adbullahi Farmajo’s extended term was coming to an end shortly. Both the former president and I were tirelessly hammering away to meet our aspirations, albeit differently. A mobile vibration pierces the hallowed hush of the library, shattering the stillness, and within minutes I am discussing re-election policies and strategies with a senior lecturer (Somali origin) at Nottingham Trent University.
As I contemplated the relentless political landscape, the stakes felt higher than ever.
By now, it has become faintly exhausting to observe the President’s unyielding efforts to secure another termin office. Having failed to convince other political leaders and federal member states on hisambition to hold democratic elections without even registering a single voter. One might argue that such determination is to be expected, indeed, even admired in a leader whose political survival hinges upon the fickle affections of the electorate. The lecturer, an acquaintance of mine, was under pressure from the Villa to act swiftly in finding a political strategist. A staunch vanguard of Nabad and Nolol himself, he vehemently explained to me that my PhD thesis in Post-war Development suitably fits the president’s re-election campaign strategy. Without hesitation, I intervened in an almost frantic tone.I explained to him that if Farmajo fails, the blame should solely lie with his kitchen cabinet and their toxic manner in which they defend their policies to the extent of personally and rudely attacking those whose choices are different from theirs.
His relentless ambition was evident, pushing the boundaries of political strategy.
Then a long silence from the other side of the phone. After a moment, I walked away to the toilet next door. With the thought ofrecollecting myself, I reached for the cold water and turned it on. I splashed it on my face and the conversation I just had with the learned lecturer ceased for a time, at least for now.
Even in silence, the relentless tension of political manoeuvring lingered.
However, with his unwavering conviction and a profound sense of duty to Nabad & Nolol, he convinced me to rally behind the President’s re-election wagon, at least for this time. I agreed,under condition that I will use an external organisation as the consulting firm, and with that, wesigned and agreed on the terms of the contractual obligation, albeit virtually. The day after, we exchanged emails/detailed overview of the work to be undertaken . Time was important especially given the gale of defections from the government to the opposition becoming more ampant, including senior ranking officers of the military, the police corps, the Prime Minister and several Cabinet Secretaries.
This relentless obligation would soon test the limits of our partnership.
On my first day as a consulting strategist, I raised these issues with Farmajo’s inner circle. They often dismissed it and shrugged off as part of Somalia’s political evolution & survivalism. Nevertheless, with the increased shifting allegiances, I embarked on the campaign strategies, focusing on Farmajo’s achievements rather than his opponents weaknesses, a paradigm shiftfrom his campaign team. I was met with fierce resistance from his advisers who literally undermined my efforts. From the outset, one might expect that individuals occupying such vaunted positions would possess a certain deftness in political strategy/re-election campaign, and in-depth understanding befitting their positions as senior government/presidential advisers.
The relentless nature of politics often blinds us to the bigger picture.
Alas, my correspondence revealed quite the opposite. The replies, when they deigned to arriveat all, were couched in the most bureaucratese, as though the very act of clarity were beneath them. Simple questions on development records were met with paragraphs of smearing political opponents, heavy on Nabad & Nolol as a powerful political engine and light on substance, as if the advisers were engaged in a perverse competition to see who might spend the most words while saying the least. The manner in which my proposals were repurposed, stripped of their original context and repackaged as the brainchild of theirs was executed with such brazenness that one might almost admire the audacity, were it not so thoroughly galling. In the end, we are all left to ponder the purpose of such advisers at all. If their function is merely to obstruct & obscure, nothing of tangible value will come out of it. They are not merely wasteful; they are an active hindrance to the very governance they purport to serve.
In such a relentless environment, clarity becomes a rare commodity.
A more prudent arrangement, one suspects, would involve far fewer advisers with the right skills and experience, potentially with a hybrid identity; western educated & a Somali. But then, prudence has never been the hallmark of Somalia’s post-war recovery, or has it? I find myself compelled to declare the entire arrangement aspectacular exercise in futility. The experience, and, dare I say, was an utter failure. I shall refrain from indulging in that interaction. After all, the greater objective of this article is to shed light on my transformation from president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s fierce critic to an ardent follower.
Yet, the relentless pursuit of excellence remains an elusive goal in Somali politics.
For a long time, I held strong criticisms against president HSM government’s policies, convinced that they were misguided, ineffective, or even harmful to the post-war recovery. I believed that alternative approaches would have been better, and I wasn’t shy about expressing my skepticism in seminars/meetings. But over time, as I observed his policies with keen interest, studied the broader context, and listened to more nuanced perspectives with in depth knowledge on Somalia’s recovery. I realized that my initial judgments were flawed, and here’s why I was wrong.
His relentless approach to governance, despite criticism, has sparked a necessary dialogue.
Good governance requires constant reassessment. My initial disagreements with the president Mohamud’s government were based on genuine concerns, but leadership isn’t static, it evolves. After observing his administration’s ability to navigate numerous crises, from Ethiopia’s blatant action to grab Somali sea to constant obstruction of his policies by Federal Member States, I’ve come to believe he has navigated the most crucial hindrance to his presidency. First, there is nothing in becoming a critic of governance. Even though it’s easy to critique decisions from the outside, assuming that better solutions are obvious. But governinginvolves balancing countless competing interests, economic constraints, political realities, and long-term consequences that aren’t always visible in the moment. What seemed like a clear misstep to me often turned out to be the least bad option among difficult choices. Hindsight is always clearer, but leadership requires making calls with imperfect information.
Leadership requires a relentless commitment to adapting and evolving.
Second, I didn’t fully account for the long-term vision behind certain policies. Some initiatives I dismissed as wasteful or unnecessary later proved their value, for example, re-establishing diplomacy with arch foes Ethiopia. Infrastructure investments, rebuilding the SNA, or social programs often take years to yield results, and early criticism can miss their eventual benefits. My impatience led me to judge policies prematurely rather than considering their intended trajectory over a longer period. I overlooked the constraints the government faced, including opposition from Federal Member States.
Overcoming these challenges requires a relentless focus on long-term goals.
I assumed that if a policy wasn’t perfect, it was a failure ignoring the incremental progress that often defines real-world governance. Finally, in a note of conclusion, I let my biases cloud my judgment. It’s natural to view policies through the lens of personal ideology or media narratives, but that can distort reality. A closer firsthand scrutiny on Somalia’s post-war development, I saw that many of his policies I’d opposed were actually working, just not in the ways I’d expected. However, This doesn’t necessarily mean blind allegiance. Accountability remains crucial in assessing the impact of the govt policies on post war recovery and when a leader demonstrates competence, adaptability, and a commitment to engage different stakeholders including his fiercest opponents, we ought to put our political differences aside and work for the common good.
This relentless scrutiny of policies is essential for true progress.
Sakariya Haji-Ogle is a specialist in Post-War Reconstruction and holds a Phd Degree from Sheffield University, UK. He has previously worked on Post-Conflict Recovery projects in the Balkans and is currently based in Turkey as a Consultant. He can be reached at
His relentless vision for Somalia’s future is one we cannot ignore.
