Mukhtar Robow Ali (Abu Mansur)

The nomination of a former Al Shabaab leader Mukhtar Robow as minister of religious affairs is based on a hope that he can appeal directly to Al Shabaab's foot-soldiers...

The resulting tension has fed into Somali government's violent campaign to impose its own candidate in elections in South West State in 2018 when the popular candidate Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' a political rival of Farmajo was arrested by Ethiopian troops in Baidoa (AC Vol 60 No 2 Mogadishu lashes out)...

Late last year Baidoa the capital of South West State was the centre of a brutal political dispute after federal government forces violently suppressed protests following Ethiopian troops' arrest of Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' (Rahanweyn/Leysan clan) an Al Shabaab founder and long-time Baidoa area commander until his defection to the government in 2017 (AC Vol 60 No 2 Mogadishu lashes out)...

Ethiopian troops under Amisom command lost local credibility when they arrested Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' in Baidoa in a blatantly sectarian move by Farmajo (AC Vol 60 No 2 Mogadishu lashes out)...

Officially this was because Sahan had recruited a deputy of Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' a bête noire to President Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed 'Farmajo' (AC Vol 60 No 2 Mogadishu lashes out)...

President Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed 'Farmajo''s administration declared Haysom persona non grata on 1 January after he asked for an explanation for the arrest and detention of Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' a former Al Shabaab commander by Ethiopian troops five days before he was due to stand in the presidential election in South West State one of Somalia's devolved federal member states...

The British and the French saw positive elements in the South West State presidential bid of former jihadist Mukhtar Robow Ali but Ethiopia – because it is aligned with Farmajo – did not and eventually arrested him and sent him back to a jail in Mogadishu...

Five other candidates announced their withdrawal from the coming elections and issued a statement endorsing Mukhtar Robow...

Mukhtar Robow is also a member of the group which is distancing itself from Sharif Hassan as well as from the government in Mogadishu...

The former National Intelligence and Security Agency chief Hussein Osman Hussein Mukhtar Robow and Lafta Gareen are the front runners...

Mukhtar Robow despite expressing sympathy and respect for Farmajo is attempting to capitalise on local resentment of the multiple Mogadishu acts of interference...

Many are also uncomfortable with the way some of his supporters are intimidating local MPs reminding them all too easily of Al Shabaab's own methods although it is unclear whether these acts are sanctioned by Mukhtar Robow or not...

The best example is the candidacy of Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' for the presidency of South West State (AC Vol 58 No 18 The split that never was)...

How Mukhtar Robow Ali 'Abu Mansur' one of Somali Islamism's most prominent leaders crossed to the government side is clear enough...