(21-06-23) MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre appealed for peace and peaceful dialogue on Tuesday in response to Tuesday’s violence in Garowe that claimed more than 20 lives and caused dozens of injuries.
In separate statements, the leaders conveyed their condolences for the lives lost and injured, urging restraint and advocating for the non-violent resolution of political disputes. President Hassan Sheikh emphasised that the Somali people can ill afford further violence, particularly as the national government grapples with ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
President Mohamud encouraged peacemakers and traditional elders to take an active role in de-escalating the current crisis, assuring them of the federal government’s readiness to facilitate efforts aimed at ending the impasse.
The violence erupted following the regional parliament’s approval of a proposal to shift the region to a one-person, one-vote multiparty electoral system. Opposition groups, however, assert that President Said Abdullahi Deni is manipulating constitutional changes to prolong his term beyond January of next year, or to tilt electoral outcomes in his favour. The incumbent administration refutes these allegations, maintaining that multiparty elections are both achievable and the best course for the region. Efforts are currently underway to mediate between the opposing sides and instigate negotiations aimed at ending the violence.
