On Thursday, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmaajo” suspended the executive powers of Prime Minister (PM) Mohammed Hussein Roble, escalating the feud between the two leaders.
Accusing Roble of violating the constitution, Farmaajo froze “the powers of the PM and all correspondence related to dismissals or appointments” until the completion of the elections. Roble “operated without consultation and cooperation with the President and singlehandedly issued decisions that violated the laws and the Constitution of the country, which shows failure in his responsibilities,” Villa Somalia, Farmaajo’s residency in Mogadishu, stated.
The statement blamed the PM for “undertaking unprecedented steps that could drive the nation to political and security crisis.” It added that he was “seeking to infringe on the allowance rights and salaries of the Armed Forces and misuse of authority by certain institutions.”
Consequently, the President, who is the “guardian and promoter of the fundamental principles of the constitution,” decided to suspend the PM’s executive powers, the statement read. “During this period, the various government organs shall continue providing required services to the citizens for the fulfilment of government functions,” it noted.
However, Roble said he had no intention of following Farmaajo’s order and accused him of twisting the constitution to justify the move. “The prime minister reminds the president to preserve the principles of the constitution of the separation of powers of the government’s institutions,” he said.
Farmaajo’s decision to suspend his PM comes amid disagreements between the two leaders regarding the role of the country’s spy chief. Earlier this month, Farmaajo overturned intelligence chief Fahad Yassin’s suspension by PM Roble and appointed Yassin as the new National Security Adviser. Roble had fired Yassin over a report blaming Al Shabaab for the kidnapping and murder of a Somali intelligence agent, which he said was “not convincing” enough. Many Somalis have accused the intelligence agency of murdering the agent and trying to cover up the crime.
Apart from this, Farmaajo and Roble have been at odds over Somalia’s diplomatic ties with other nations. In August, Roble countered a presidential order banning Somali institutions from signing deals with foreign entities during election season. Roble dismissed the order and urged institutions to work according to “laws of the state,” which allow for such deals.
Farmaajo and Roble also clashed in April, when Somalia’s lower house of the parliament extended the former’s term as President by two years, despite it ending in February. The move, condemned by the Somali opposition, further delayed the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, leading to violent clashes between forces loyal to both leaders in Mogadishu in April.
However, facing pressure from the international community, an agreement was reached by Farmaajo and the opposition in May to hold the polls by October. According to the agreement, Roble was tasked with leading the electoral process. However, the latest row threatens to undo any progress made on this front and lead the country into a larger political crisis.
Somali President Farmaajo Suspends Executive Powers of PM Roble, Deepening Rift
Somalia’s President, Farmaajo, suspended the executive powers of PM Roble to hire and fire officials, escalating the feud between the two leaders.
September 17, 2021
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmaajo. SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES