Somalia: Report directly to me, Speaker Madobe tells security chiefs

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's newly elected Lower House speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe has instructed army commanders and other security chiefs to directly report to him until presidential elections are held in the federal republic of Somalia.

The country completed Lower House elections recently after months of political squabbles, paving way for elections of the president in the coming days. The speaker will be in charge of presidential polls where parliamentarians participate directly.

Although Madobe and his Upper House colleague Abdi Hashi have not released the schedule for presidential polls, Madobe asked security chiefs to be neutral while executing their mandates, noting that they should directly report to him.

Madobe, a member of the opposition, recently held a meeting with outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble where issues pertaining to security were extensively discussed. Farmajo has been accused of compromising security agents.

After the completion of House leadership polls, PM Roble asked the new team to ensure presidential polls are done soonest. A number of security agents have previously been accused of taking instructions from Farmaajo, who is a candidate in upcoming polls.

His orders, therefore, means Farmajo will no longer control the security apparatus until elections are held in the country. Roble, who was in charge of parliamentary elections, has been at loggerheads with Farmajo over security matters.

The Gorgor troops and Haramacad police have often been linked to deteriorating security in Somalia, where members of the opposition and their supporters are unjustly targeted. The president has always defended the security teams.

Farmajo will be facing former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud along with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and Wadajir party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, who was recently elected to parliament.

GAROWE ONLINE