Nick Kay joins chorus against cabinet
Mogadishu, Somalia (SOMALI AGENDA)–Opposition to Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke’s cabinet continues to gain momentum as key members of the Federal parliament threaten to reject the newly named cabinet.
Shortly before the cabinet was officially announced, a coalition of more than 90 members of the Federal Parliament have issued a strongly worded statement warning Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke from naming ministers that have served in the outgoing cabinet of deposed Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed.
On Monday, a key member of the parliamentary coalition Ahmed Abdi Dhuxulow spoke with local media asserting that the inclusion of the powerful Justice Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir, Interior & Federal Affairs Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Finance Minister Hussein Abdi Halane and National Security Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Ali will necessitate the rejection of the entire cabinet by the parliament.
SOMALI AGENDA which has previously broken the key composition of Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke’s cabinet has spoken with numerous sources with intricate knowledge within the parliament and Villa Somalia. The sources confirm to SOMALI AGENDA reports that allege there are currently only 200 members of Parliament remaining in Mogadishu and to approve the cabinet, the government will need no less than 139 votes.
With more than 90 members of the parliament already threatening to vote against the cabinet, the government’s chances of obtaining approval from National Assembly are made even more perilous by the fact it has only till January 16th to pass through parliament. On Friday, January the 16th, the Federal Parliament goes on a two month recess.
SOMALI AGENDA has obtained and verified the authenticity of an internal email written by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia Nick Kay regarding his thoughts on the newly unveiled cabinet. While recognizing that “efforts have been made to ensure continuity” in the cabinet,
Ambassador Nick Kay minces no words in his email by stating:
Clear that the president has placed his own people in most of the key portfolios for the Compact – finance, internal security, justice, federalism and elections.
He further points that:
these people will now be held accountable for delivery. So opportunity for playing the “blame game” or “buck passing” is reduced.
Nick Kay makes no mention of the nomination of three top Puntland ministers including newly named Constitutional Affairs Minister Abdulkadir Hashi who have previously served under Abdirehman Farole administration in Garowe. Ambassador Nick Kay has previously been heavily criticized for being biased towards Puntland and for using his office to lobby for Puntland issues at the detriment of other regions. His senior adviser Nurradin Dirie is a former Puntland Presidential candidate.
Some of the sources SOMALI AGENDA spoke with state that at the heart of the tension between ambassador Nick Kay and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the issue of $120 million of the New Deal money the Somali Government has authorized the East African Regional Bloc IGAD to be used for State Formation Process in remaining territories of Somalia. Nick Kay has campaigned for the money to be dispersed by his office the United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The authorization is believed to have been given by Somalia’s powerful Justice Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir and Finance Minister Hussein Abdi Halane. Both individuals are generally accused of being Ethiopian agents in Somalia. They have previously denied the allegations.
