Prime Minister Officially names his Cabinet
Mogadishu, Somalia (SOMALI AGENDA)- Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke has this morning named his much delayed cabinet. The bloated cabinet reintroduces a long list of tested and contentious ministers and politicians as the country makes its last attempt to reverse course ahead of the 2016 elections.
As previously reported by SOMALI AGENDA, Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir the controversial outgoing Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs stages a comeback. He now heads the Ministry of Judicial Affairs. The constitutional Affairs has been given to current member of the Federal Parliament Abdulkadir Hashi who has edged his fellow clansman Abdurahman Hosh Jabril. Hashi who is credited for engineering former Puntland President Abdirehman Farole’s antagonistic and aggressive policy towards Mogadishu was appointed after sustained lobbying by Puntland based politicians and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke himself.
Abdikarim Guled, a senior aide of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former Security minister who resigned following Al Shabab’s bold assault on the country’s Federal Parliament returns to head the Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs. He’s joined by Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, the former director of Somalia’s Intelligence Agency NISA who was fired by Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed for gross misconduct as the incoming Minister for Security.
As reported by SOMALI AGENDA numerous ministers that served under Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed such as Mustaf Sheikh Ali Dhuxulow,Khadija Dirie, Nadifa Mohamed Osman among others all return to head their respective ministries in the cabinet announced by Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke who justified their reappointments based on their prior achievements and need to finish remaining tasks.
The size of the cabinet including deputy and state ministers stands at 60. Somalia has less than two years to complete the Vision 2016 benchmarks set by the country’s International Partners and Donors.
