Mohamed Hussein Roble, the newly appointed prime minister of Somalia
MOGADISHU, Sept 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has named Mohamed Hussein Roble as prime minister.
The president said Roble was selected on the basis of “his knowledge, experience and ability to move forward with state-building efforts and the development of national plans”.
If Roble wins the confidence of parliament, he will replace Hassan Ali Khaire, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote by parliament on July 25.
Farmajo, in a statement, urged the prime minister-designate to “immediately form a capable government that will lead the country to elections and make significant efforts to consolidate security gains, rebuild the armed forces, develope infrastructure, expand basic services”.
Roble is a relative newcomer to Somali’s politics.
His predecessor fell out with Farmajo over differing views on the election due early next year. Khaire had insisted that “elections should be held on time… to avoid a political, security and constitutional crisis”.
Separately, Farmajo and five federal state leaders have agreed on a deal that retains the clan-based system of delegate voting in the upcoming elections.
The new pact, which was reached at after a five-day meeting in Mogadishu, revises last month’s deal between Farmajo and three of the five states which chose to have 303 delegates voting for each of the 275 MPs of the Lower House.
The new arrangement, which must be endorsed by parliament, means Somalia’s next elections will see 101 delegates voting in 275 MPs who in turn will elect the federal president.
The deal, endorsed by federal state presidents of Jubaland, Hirshabelle, Puntland, South West and Galmudug, also means that Somalia has shelved earlier plans to have universal suffrage for the first time in 50 years. — NNN-AGENCIES
