Somali Police chief suspended for disrupting election

The outgoing president Farmajo has been accused of using security forces as a tool to score his political goal as failing two attempts of a bloodless coup since last year, thanks to the army units averted his plots.

News Keydmedia Online
27 April 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali security minister Abdullahi Mohamed Nur says he has fired police chief Gen Abdi Hassan Hijar amid attempts by Villa Somalia to disrupt the lower house speaker election.

The suspension of the general who is a close ally of Farmajo came hours after he said Somali police could not guarantee the security of the parliament speaker’s election in Afisyoni set to begin today.

In the statement seen by Keydmedia Online, the security minister has accused the police commander of meddling in the troubled politics and committing crimes that require an investigation by the army court.

The security minister instructed police and intelligence officials to refrain from political interference, especially in electoral matters, and to carry out their duties in accordance with the law and constitution.

The outgoing president Farmajo has been accused of using security forces as a tool to score his political goal as failing two attempts of a bloodless coup since last year, thanks to the army units averted his plots.

Hijar, before being suspended blocked 16 lawmakers elected from El-Wak town in Gedo last Friday to be sworn at Afisyoni on Monday night acting on Farmajo's order, according to sources within Villa Somalia.

Somali prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble who is in Geneva for a drought conference has ordered the African Union troops to take over security at the election venue to prevent Farmajo from interfering.

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