Somali Prime Minister dismisses ministers who resigned over federal policies
Officials familiar with the matter said the Prime Minister is expected to name replacements within the next 24 hours.
Friday March 27, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s political fallout over constitutional changes deepened this week after Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre formally fired two state ministers who had already announced they were quitting in protest earlier this month.
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In a statement released Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office said the dismissals were carried out under Articles 120 and 117 of the Provisional Constitution, as well as the Council of Ministers’ internal regulations. The office said the move was intended to “strengthen and accelerate” the work of the ministries involved.
The officials removed are Ismail Shire Jama, the State Minister for Petroleum and Minerals, and Asad Abdirisaq Mohamed, the State Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation. Both declared their resignations in early March, joining lawmakers who rejected recently approved constitutional amendments and objected to what they described as federal government interference in the affairs of regional states.
Both men were also among the lawmakers who traveled to Garowe and Kismayo, where they publicly voiced support for the Puntland State and Jubbaland administrations in their respective constituencies.
Officials familiar with the matter said the Prime Minister is expected to name replacements within the next 24 hours.
The decision lands as relations remain strained between the federal government and several federal member states. In recent weeks, a number of state and deputy ministers representing Puntland State, Jubbaland and Southwest have resigned as disputes intensified over constitutional revisions and the framework for forthcoming federal and regional elections.