Pressure piles on Somalia’s embattled President
MOGADISHU, SOMALIA November 3, 2014 (Somali Agenda)-Somalia’s beleaguered President Hassan Shiekh Mohamud on Sunday Night chaired a high-level meeting comprising the country’s Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and Speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawaari to discuss the ongoing political crisis in the country at Villa Somalia, the Presidential Palace.
Top of the agenda was to discuss ways of finding an end to the ongoing political crisis in the country prompted by the Prime Minister’s recent cabinet reshuffle which targeted the powerful constitutional and justice minister Farah Abdulqadir, a key presidential ally.
The leaders also discussed the recent strongly worded statements by the United Nation’s Special Representative of the Secretary General for Somalia Nick Kay which noted with grave concern the political tensions in the country and attempts to disrupt the political process.
During the meeting, the speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawaari is reported to have expressed his dissatisfaction at attempts to bring a vote of confidence against the Prime Minister. Talks of a motion of no confidence gained momentum in Mogadishu in the past few days as political allies and associates of the president frantically distributed petitions to members of the parliament. As an alternative, the Speaker advised both the President and Prime Minister to find solutions outside the parliament.
Credible sources tell SOMALI AGENDA that bolstered by strong backing from the International Community, the Prime Minister is confident of weathering the current political storm and taking a more assertive role in the government.
The latest political crisis comes as more than three million Somalis face a dire humanitarian situation.
