The 17th September Agreement and subsequent Baidoa Understanding by the Technical Committee need to be implemented by all parties in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration to have safe and secure elections, leading to a free and fair poll. This cannot happen without clarifying:

1. What is the power of a president whose constitutional mandate has expired?
2. Are there legislative powers of a parliament whose constitutional mandate has ended, and which is still threatening to legislate and even consider extending its term beyond the four-year mandate? An expired Parliament illegally contemplating stretching the president’s stint to more years without an election?
3. Would the army and other state security services be neutral in maintaining law and order under the laws of the land or would they be loyal to a government that has no constitutional authority to suppress dissent and election campaigns of the opposition?
4. Would the occupant of Villa Somalia allow a care-taker Government led by a prime minister to function?
5. What about the influence of foreign money on the elections, and who is going to be the watchdog against such interference?
6. Would the Federal and State electoral committees be independent to conduct free and fair elections?
7. How would you secure election polling stations and by whom?
8. Are there contingent security plans in place to prevent and control potential wide-scale election violences?

These are the questions and potential more that must be raised and answered in the on-going Mogadishu talks. FGS must be forthcoming and upfront to work out these details with the FMSs. Other issues like recent confrontations between the FGS and CDC and casualties therein ocurred could be resolved by appointing an independent commission of inquiry.

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/05/15/trademarks-of-wrong-headed-leadership/

The spiritual leader of Buddhism, Dalai lama, had retold the world about his mistake in meeting with Mao Tse Tung, the late Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and Revolution, the Long March, on Tibet issue. He said he didn’t know then that in any first conversation between opposing parties, and in most meetings between prominent figures, start with a small talk first, progressing slowly to substantive issues or to the purpose of the meeting.

When parties are far apart and there was breakdown of diplomacy and communication, the only thing that gets the parties talking to each other is small talk that avoids the substance like the weather of the day, family issues, anything that avoids the subject to be discussed. This is called ICEBREAKING. Icebreaking is an important element of negotiation technics and harmless tool to understand and appreciate each other’s humanity and sophistication in life. It breaks down anxieties and make everybody comfortable and at ease. It is only then that real talks and negotiations get started.

In Somali culture, it starts with jokes designed for pleasure and laughter. But, this can go wrong too and misinterpreted, if the other party has no sense of humor. It is therefore imperative to learn about the other party before you meet them. It is equally crucible to monitor and watch out body language and signs of discomforts in the other party to be able to adjust to the needs of the environment where the talks are being held. An example of jokes entertained in current Mogadishu talks that transpired when Guudlaawe and Qoor Qoor reminded Deni and Madobe that they constituted the united voice of Hawiye constituents, then Deni and Madobe had looked at Farmajo and advised him to join them as the united representatives of Darood. In reaction, Farmajo was stunned.

I am not present at Mogadishu talks taking place now between FGS and FMSs, but I suspect that both Farmajo and Ahmed Madobe look too stiff to own sense of humor in an adversity environment, and that they lack the abilities to mask their hatred to each other by utilizing small talk and humor to break the ice. I wish I could be wrong.