Key Highlights
- Khaire ousted in a vote of no-confidence which engineered by at least 170 Somalia lawmakers during a chaotic session chaired by Speaker Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman.
- Chaos was witnessed in parliament as lawmakers ousted Somalia’s PM in no confidence vote
- Puntland dismisses Khaire’s ouster as illegal, accuses Farmajo of dishonesty.
- Somalia’s opposition condemns ouster of Khaire, blames Farmajo of plot to extend term.
- The US has blasted President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and the Lower House over the impeachment of Somalia Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, arguing that the move will heighten political temperatures in the war-torn nation.
- Political analysts say Khaire’s dethronement was in the offing since he had expressed interests in the presidency in the coming elections.
Hassan Ali Khaire is no longer the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia. This is after Somali lawmakers dethroned him from the PM’s position through a vote of no-confidence on Saturday. Khaire admitted his fate without resistance termed his ouster as illegal and unconstitutional.
Before the unprecedented vote of no-confidence shocker, Khaire was stood the longest serving PM in Somalia. His misfortunes began when he expressed interests in the coming elections according to political analysts. Khaire ouster was in the offing, it was only a matter of when. Though Khaire did not openly exhibited political differences with his boss (President Farmajo), his strategists and foot soldiers are said to have been running a low-profile campaign for him. Subsequently Farmajo’s allies familiar of Khaire’s interests to vie in the next elections, embarked on crafting for his removal.
Before Saturday’s ouster, Khaire had spoken tough about attempts to delay elections scheduled on later this year. He also had persuaded Farmajo to visit Dhusamareb for reconciliation with Federal State leadership.
There have mixed reactions after Speaker Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman announced the ouster of Khaire shortly after midday on Saturday, after a vote which saw 170 MPs vote in favor of the motion. Eight MPs voted against the motion but the anti-Khaire team carried the day having garnered a two-thirds majority according to the law even though the session was marred with chaos.
Somalia President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in a clever articulated statement shifted the blame of Khaire’s ouster on wrangles between the executive and parliament even though no such issues had been reported. In his statement, Farmajo expressed “sympathy” to his former friend, appointed Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Gulaid as acting Prime Minister, noting that a substantive appointment will be made in a month. In a social media tweet, Gulaid accepted the appointment, adding that he will execute the PM’s mandate with the utmost integrity.
Khaire’s dethronement has already irked the opposition. Somalia opposition sees Khaire’s removal as well orchestrated strategy term extension for the current Farmajo’s administration. The apposition has termed the move a ‘coup’ aimed at derailing Dhusamareb talks where the FGS and FMS leaders are expecting to agree on contentious electoral clauses.
Puntland and Jubaland administrations while sympathizing with Khaire condemned his outer, terming his removal as illegal, dishonest and unprocedural noting it was unwarranted. Puntland insists the removal was unprocedural in the manner it was carried out, arguing that the ouster will have negative implications on the stability of Somalia, besides derailing the recent outcome of Dhusamareb talks, where the FGS and member states agreed to expedite preparations for elections.
US on its part also issued a stern warning and termed Khaire’s removal as irregular and uncalled for. The no-confidence motion, the US added, was regrettable and should have not been admitted at all since it will heightened political instability.
Khaire was the engine of the current administration maintained that it was his decision to quit citing fragility of the country’s unpredictable situation, adding that he envisions a “stable” nation with less political wrangles. Despite his predicament, Khaire thanked his former colleagues in government for their superb cooperation for a total of three and half years.
