Abdishakur: PM Roble must ensure Somali army keeps off politics

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame had yet again backed Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who is facing serious challenges from within the government of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.

The PM is at loggerheads with Farmaajo, who has been pushing to kick him out of the equation amid ongoing parliamentary elections. On December 27, 2021, Farmaajo purported to have suspended Roble, only for his communique to be disregarded.

In a tweet, Abdishakur, who is a fierce critic of Farmaajo, said the Prime Minister and the council of ministers should ensure that have taken full responsibility for the country's security, including being in charge of security forces.

Further, Abdishakur asked PM Roble to ensure he restrains the Somali National Army [SNA] from taking charge of elections in the country. A section of SNA troops has been linked to the ongoing political skirmishes in Somalia.

"Considering the events of 24 April and 27 Dec 2021, the prime minister and the council of ministers must take full charge of the country's security," he said. "And in accordance with the constitution, the prime minister and his cabinet must ensure the armed forces stay out of politics."

His sentiments come just a day after Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur asked Chief of Defense Forces to order SNA 77th battalion troops to appear before the ministerial committee investigating the attempted ouster of PM Roble.

The committee was put in place by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who has been at loggerheads with Farmaajo. Once investigations are over, the report will be tabled in the cabinet for actions according to the office of the Prime Minister.

At the ongoing National Consultative Council [NCC] meeting, Abdishakur had earlier insisted that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo ought to resign first before the NCC discusses ways of correcting the current political impasse in the country.

"The first order of business for the NCC, the CPC, and the international community is to resolve the standoff at Villa Somalia, and the solution is for Farmajo to leave Villa Somalia peacefully. Only then can we talk about correcting election protocols and their irregularities, " he had said.

GAROWE ONLINE