Somalia is back on a knife edge

On Thursday, Farmajo released a statement announcing that he suspended the executive PM’s powers to sack or dismiss government officials during the elections, a move that has fueled the brewing tension.

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Somalia is back on a knife edge

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Political tension between Somalia's outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Prime Minister Roble is deepening as the country is in an electioneering period.

The two top leaders are at loggerheads over the control of the country after the term of the government ended early this year without a successor in the palace, plunging the Horn of Africa nation into a political row.

On Thursday, Farmajo released a statement announcing that he suspended the executive PM’s powers to sack or dismiss government officials during the elections, a move that has fueled the brewing tension.

In a rejoinder, PM Roble termed the decision as “unconstitutional and unacceptable”, accusing the outgoing leader of blatantly violating the constitution articles stipulating the separation of the powers.

“Farmajo’s decision from the President suspending the powers of the Prime Minister clearly violates the Constitution and is contrary to Articles 87 and 90 which do not allow the president to have a role in the constitutional powers of the PM and his government,” said the PM in a statement.

PM Roble urged Farmajo to stop the interference in the work of the council of ministers and judicial branch as well as respect the separation of the powers of the government as the constitution required.

Farmajo failed his responsibility to lead the country in transparent and democratic elections during his tenure which led to deadly violence in Mogadishu in April that resulted from his illegal term extension.

After the situation got worse and going out of hands, Roble was handed over the election and security responsibility in May by Farmajo and he then reached an election deal with regional heads on May 27.

Now, the standoff took a new dimension as both sides are fighting for control. Their dispute worsened after NISA announced the missing spy agent Ikran Tahlil Farah was abducted and killed by Al-Shabaab.

PM acting on his powers fired NISA boss Fahad Yasin after he was accused of being the mastermind of the girl’s abduction and subsequent murder but the dismissal was challenged by Farmajo in defense of his friend.

The security minister Hassan Hundubey Jimala was also fired for disobedience as he is a close ally to Farmajo. He was replaced with opposition MP Abdullahi Mohamed Nur who took office days ago.

As the power struggle continues to widen, Farmajo said he suspended the PM’s powers on Thursday, a move that Roble discarded and described as an attempt to hinder the election and stop the probe into Ikran’s case.

KEYDMEDIA English 

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