Somalia: Somaliland President reshuffles cabinet ahead of election

HARGEISA, Somalia, February 28, 2015 (Garowe Online)-The President of Somaliland’s separatist administration Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Siilaanyo) has sacked seven officials from key posts on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.

Siilaanyo fired-Labour and Social services Minister Mohamud Ahmed Barre, Water Resources Minister Hussein Ahmed Abdulle, Deputy Minister of Animal Husbandry Abdirahman Jama Du’alle, Marine Forces commander-in-Chief Ahmed Osman Aw Abdi, Army Mobilizer General  Abdullahi Jama Allas and Civil Services commission chairman Nuh Musse Du’alle- in a presidential decree.

Heavyweight in ruling Kulmiye party and Finance Minister Abdiasis Mohamed Samale was moved to the ministry of Education while Zamzam Abdi Adan managed to gain a portfolio as Finance Minister, making her the first female minister to hold the post since Somaliland declared its independence from the rest of the country as de facto sovereign state in 1991.

Abdi Aw Dahir, former Minister of Livestock and Animal Husbandry replaced Barre, with 19 deputy ministers complying with revamped portfolios.

In military circle, President Siilaanyo named Gen. Mohamed Hussein Farah as Marine Forces head and in turn assigned Gen. Mohamed Osman Hudun to custodian corps command.

The presidential decree is seen the most touching as general elections draw closer.

Bitter wrangles over President Siilaayo’s push for re-election split ruling Kulmiye party into factions in mid-2014.

GAROWE ONLINE