(3 minutes read)
- Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed announced yesterday ( Thursday) he had withdrawn the powers of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.\
- Analysts feel that it reflects the bitter row between the two power centers, which can lead to a political and economic crisis
- The office of the president, popularly known as Farmajo, said in a statement that the prime minister had violated the transitional constitution so his executive powers are withdrawn, especially his powers to remove and to appoint officials, until the election is completed.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed announced yesterday ( Thursday) he had withdrawn the powers of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. Analysts feel that it reflects the bitter row between the two power centers, which can lead to a political and economic crisis. The office of the president, popularly known as Farmajo, said in a statement that the prime minister had violated the transitional constitution so his executive powers are withdrawn, especially his powers to remove and to appoint officials, until the election is completed.
The president termed the decisions taken by the prime minister as impudent that could pave the way for political and security instability. The two have a history of taking on each other in the past as well. The contentious issues were relating to dismissals and appointments to key security positions.
On September 5, Prime Minister Mohamed Roble dismissed the head of the Intelligence and Security Services Agency (Nisa), Fahad Yasin, a close associate of Farmajo, for his handling of the investigation into the unexplained disappearance of one of his female officers, Ikran Tahlil. In the meantime, the president overturned the “illegal and unconstitutional” decision and appointed a replacement of his choice after promoting Fahad Yasin to national security adviser.
Farmajo’s term expired on Feb. 8 without being able to agree with regional leaders on holding elections, triggering a serious constitutional crisis. Elected in mid-April, there was a move to extend his term for two years. This had sparked armed clashes in Mogadishu, reviving memories of the decades of civil war that ravaged the country after 1991. Prime Minister Roble, was appointed in September 2020, has been at the center of the political scene since Farmajo tasked him in May with organizing the sensitive elections. The Prime Minister has agreed on an election timetable, with an initial target date of October 10 for the presidential election. The process is already behind schedule. The appointment of members of the lower house, the last step before the election of the head of state under Somalia’s complex indirect electoral system, is now scheduled to take place between October 1 and November 25. Mohamed Roble assured UN diplomats on Sunday that the elections would go ahead “as planned”.
