They seemed to throw their weight behind HSM. They supposedly gave him $6m a month as 'direct budgetary support' (lol we all know its a codeword).
He was perceived to give them endless contracts... the port upgrade, the airport upgrade, the port day-to-day operations, the airport day-today management, the monopoly on flights to Mogadishu from Dubai through preferential landing rights, sabotage of competitors like Daallo Airlines. They even wanted to 'upgrade' (codeword for take over) Bakaara Market but traders objected.
It was thought that Hassan was primed, his campaign funded, his face was plastered all over Mogadishu, the MPs had been bribed. Turkey - allegedly - spent hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Then suddenly Sharmaajo and the ina-SomaOil nobody came out of nowhere and stole the election. Whether this was with SomaOil, British and Norway funding, we will never know. But the trail is clear.
Since then the Turks have gone quiet. The political rug was pulled out from underneath them. They are at and en-passe, waiting and seeing. But they are still milking Mogadishu's cash cows - airport, port, flights, hospitals etc. But now talks have commenced with Somaliland just in case. A back up if you will. They are now talking about 'upgrading' Hargeisa airport.
