MOGADISHU, Somalia – Newly nominated Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble met with federal lawmakers on Sunday, just three days after President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo unveiled him pending approval from the lower house, which has a constitutional mandate to cultivate him before taking office.
Although it is not clear what he told MPs, Roble was pictured with dozens of those who will formally approve his appointment in the coming weeks. The name will be presented to the House in the coming weeks by the relevant committee, at which point he will be questioned.
The House of Lords is accused of having fully supported President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, and his relationship with the House’s management has often been called into question, with critics accusing him of collaborating with speaker Mohamed Mursal for mutilating the Constitution through irregular approval of agreements.
Analysts insist that Roble, an engineer by profession who worked with the International Labor Organization before his nomination, would sail through Parliament because of Farmajo’s grip on the house. He comes from the state of Galmadug in central Somalia.
He will replace Hassan Ali Khaire, who was accused by MPs of what sources said was a rivalry with Farmajo over upcoming elections. Khaire has already announced his candidacy for the February 2021 referendum, with former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud fronting either on the FNP ticket.
At the meeting in Mogadishu, Roble was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled, who served as Deputy Prime Minister for almost 2 months. Guled is also a close ally of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose term expires next year in February, but has since expressed a desire for re-election.
The country brokered a pre-election deal following pressure from a number of international players last week. The agreement stipulates that the country will hold elections from November, where 101 delegates per. Constituency participates in the polls, which will be monitored at constituency level.
Named constituency, the model has since been backed by stakeholders. But Roble now wants Parliament, whose term expires in two months, to speed up the approval process, adding that any delay could further plunge the country into an unprecedented crisis.
Mohamed Hussein Roble on Sunday thanked Farmajo for nominating him for the post pending the lower house. Roble, an engineer by profession, will replace Hassan Ali Khaire, who was ousted from office in July by MPs.
He said: “I would like to thank the President for giving me an opportunity to serve the people of Somalia. It is a step that I will cherish forever. to the vet and approve my appointment. “
The country has traditionally used the clan-based model popularly called 4.5. This system gives enormous powers to elders in the election of MPs, but the new model that will be approved by the House of Commons is an improved version as other stakeholders will also participate.
For years, the international community has worked hard to ensure that the war-torn nation has a globally recognized government. Farmajo faces stiff competition from Warsame, Khaire and former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
AXADLETM
