The elders of Puntland and Jubbaland sent an open letter to Rt Hon David Lammy who is the Foreign Secretary of the UK, and spoke about their concerns about what they called the British government’s bias in Somalia’s political affairs.
This letter criticized the British Ambassador to Somalia, Mr Michael Nithavrianakis, for allowing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to make political statements, while he was celebrating the birthday of King Charles III at the British Embassy in Halane camp in Mogadishu.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is said to have urged the UK government to take action against what he called “subversives” in politics, a term interpreted by elders as a reference to leaders or regions opposed to his electoral style.
The elders argue that although the hope of one person and one vote is something to be praised, the lack of consensus will undermine the development of Somalia. They warned that criticizing people as spoilers risks damaging Somalia’s government-building efforts, which require accountability, equality and unity.
Elders are calling for the UK to maintain neutrality in its diplomatic role, stressing that favoring any leader or party violates the country’s independence. They urged the British government to avoid diplomatic actions that could damage its reputation in Somalia or hinder the country’s long journey towards stability and democracy.
