A day ago, Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, sent shockwaves through the nation by tweeting that he had signed seven Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) with Coastline Exploration Limited.
A Deal Shrouded in Secrecy—Until Now
This shady company—formerly known as Soma Oil and Gas—has long coveted Somali oil reserves and was previously implicated in dealings with Hassan Khaire, the disgraced former prime minister.
Beyond the audacity of his actions, the minister made a point of publicly acknowledging who authorized the move. He thanked President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo “for supporting the process and encouraging [him and his team] to complete this task.” Yet this raises a critical question: why publicize a process that has been shrouded in secrecy?
Was the announcement driven by Coastline having already shared the news with the media? Was the deal always intended for public disclosure? Or was the minister caught off guard by the news breaking and scrambling for a safety net? The public expects answers—and soon.
A Defiance of Presidential Orders—and a Lost Seat
The minister proceeded despite being fully aware that the president had issued a decree on August 21, 2021, banning agreements with foreign entities during the election period.
Notably, the minister—a close associate of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble—had lost his parliamentary seat (HOP#045) representing the Southwest region just this week. His bold request to be the sole candidate for that seat was rejected by his clan.
He took this rejection poorly. Both he and Roble interpreted it as a maneuver by President Farmajo to eliminate the Prime Minister’s allies from the future parliament.
The president’s response was swift, condemning the act as illegal and in direct violation of his executive order. The Prime Minister followed with his own reaction, promising unspecified legal action against those involved.
A Suspicious Coincidence—or Calculated Reward?
But here the plot thickens. Coincidentally, the Federal Election Implementation Team (FEIT)—now under the Prime Minister’s tight control—announced, shortly after the revelation, a suspension of the election for seat HOP#045.
The very seat the Petroleum Minister was denied is now in dispute. Could the minister’s actions and the parliamentary seat controversy be linked? Is Roble rewarding the minister, through FEIT’s intervention, for his brazen challenge to Farmajo’s authority?
Unsurprisingly, the public is outraged by the minister’s shady dealings and the fact that someone—whether the usual suspect or treacherous “risk-taker” companies—seems determined to undermine the president.
President Farmajo may be physically protected within Villa Somalia’s secure compound, but his political survival depends on his reputation for integrity. And that is precisely where the schemers are aiming.
As for Prime Minister Roble, he likely learned of the news after the fact but seized the moment to offer a plea deal that would also tarnish Farmajo’s name.
Public Outrage and the Call for Accountability
Regardless of who is plotting to pin blame on the president, the minister is guilty of knowingly committing treasonous actions. The public demands real accountability—not the opposite.
Today, the Office of the Auditor General of Somalia (OAGS) has taken up the matter, issuing a statement declaring the seven PSAs unilaterally signed by Minister Abdirashid null and void.
The OAGS also advised the Prime Minister that all individuals involved in this illegal act should be suspended from their current positions. Will Roble act accordingly and throw his friend under the bus? That remains to be seen.
The entire affair has left the public deeply uneasy. Electoral disputes that were once confined within Somalia now risk dragging the country into international lawsuits or arbitration—much like the maritime boundary case.