A move by Somalia's Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein toreplace some cabinet ministers who reportedly resigned in protest after thecontroversial yet powerful mayor of Mogadishu was sacked is generating intensedebate. Hussein reportedly said the resignations would not affect government'swork, adding that the transitional government was working well despite theresignations, which he claims were designed to create instability in thecountry and to undermine a recently signed Djibouti peace process between thegovernment and an Eritrea-based opposition faction.
Somepolitical analysts say the controversy surrounding the sacking of Mogadishumayor Mohamed Dheere is reportedly generating tension between Somali PresidentAbdullahi Yussuf and Prime Minister Hussein, which could destabilize thetransitional government. Somali journalist Haroun Maruf tells reporter PeterClottey that the dismissal of the Mogadishu mayor has plunged the country intoa political crisis.
"He(Prime Minister Nur Hassein) has replaced three ministers who resignedSaturday. Two of them spoke to the media and expressed their disappointmentwith the prime minister's dismissal of the mayor of Mogadishu. He alsoappointed three other ministers for positions that were vacant. The primeminister is saying that he did not seek an official resignation from sevenother ministries who were said to have resigned so, he is not ready to replacethem for the time being," Maruf pointed out.
Hesaid the sacking of the Mogadishu mayor contributed significantly to thepolitical crisis.
"Thebottom line of this political crisis was the dismissal of the mayor of Mogadishu,who is a key ally of the president. Well, there are a number of key allies inthe government in the military, in the police and in the security services thatare close to the president. And it is sad to say the president perhaps feltthat the prime minister would be going after these individuals, so he is tryingto show that he does not want his loyal supporters within the transitionalfederal government, the police and the security to be released from theirpositions because they have fought with him. They have been very trusted alliesof him for so long," he said.
Marufsaid the president has the final say on who gets fired from the transitionalgovernment.
"Ofcourse the prime minister's responsibility is to propose who he wants to be inhis government, and who he wants to dismiss. But ultimately, the presidentwould have to sign, and as long as the president does not approve the primeminister's whishes, the game stays in favor of the president," Maruf noted.
Hesaid tension between the president and the prime keeps escalating.
"Well,we have tension now, political tension between the president and the primeminister. There is also a very strong movement lobbying in parliament someparliamentarians who are allied with the prime minister are talking of motionof impeachment of the president. Some other parliamentarians are campaigningfor a vote of no confidence for the prime minister's government in theparliament. So the tension is rising," he said.
Marufsaid neighboring Ethiopia can help resolve the ongoing political crisis inSomalia.
"Thetension can be solved, I believe, if the president and the prime minister agreeon the main point, which is the dismissal of the mayor of Mogadishu. And manyobservers are expecting Ethiopia, a key ally of the government both the primeminister and the president, to intervene and solve this crisis," Maruf pointedout.