Jeyte’s dismissal a big win for al-Shabaab and uncertainty for Hirshabelle

Somalis right around the world have expressed on social media their shock and dismay at Governor Ali Jeyte’s dismissal and rightly so. Not seen a single message in favour of his dismissal.

Somalis have all agreed that Ali Jeyte is a patriot – brave man who rose to the occasion at a time Hiiraan region, and its residents badly needed a good leader who can address their pressing issues stemming from Al Shabaab blockade and aggression as well as recurring floods whose effects were compounded by debilitating infrastructures.

Jeyte was appointed by Waare in 2020 to Hiiraan governor and did an excellent job in that short span of time. He was the man who has successfully organised grass roots, community led resistance against Al Shabaab and has almost succeeded to drive them out of his region up until president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud came to power and scuttled it by arming feuding clans in Jowhar, which resulted in Al Shabaab to take advantage of their divisions, conquered them, and took possession of all the new arms provided by Villa Somalia. This reckless decision by Villa Somalia has created a new challenge to SNA and ATMIS. It will be a discussion for another day.

The question that everybody is now asking is who wanted Jeyte gone? First, it is worth noting that Hiiraan governorship has been revolving door for the last ten years. It has churned out a dozen or so governors, some of whom had been reappointed twice to the same job. Yusuf Dabaged is one case in point. Jeyte is the second longest serving governor in Hiiraan since late Hassan Qalad.

Secondly, Jeyte had made a lot of enemies. It is obvious and it goes without even saying that Al Shabaab desperately wanted Jeyte gone dead or alive. Former Hirshabeelle President Waare has warned last month that Al Shabaab has paid millions of dollars to remove Jeyte from Hiiraan governorship. Waare’s allegations demand thorough investigations.

Thirdly, INGOs operating in Somalia wanted Jeyte gone too. In his attempt to address the recurring floods in Beledweyn city, Jeyte exposed how local and INGOs operating in that region manufacture crisis and demanded accountability, something that was not done in Somalia since 1991. This is not to suggest though that INGOs were directly involved in for his removal but only to highlight that Jeyte’s relationship with INGOs was tense for the last two years.

Finally, Jeyte’s dismissal was an ill-advised decision that will definitely throw Hirshabelle into uncharted waters and political uncertainty. It was a big win for Al Shabaab.

By: Sharkie