Addis Ababa, December 27, 2021 (Walta) – Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed announced Monday that he was suspending Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, a day after the two men sparred over long-delayed elections in the troubled Horn of Africa nation.
“The president decided to suspend Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and stop his powers since he was linked with corruption,” the office of the president said in a statement, accusing the prime minister of interfering with an investigation into a land grabbing case.
Relations between the president, better known as Farmajo, and Roble have long been frosty, with the latest development raising fresh fears for Somalia’s stability as it struggles to hold elections.
On Sunday, Roble accused the president of sabotaging the electoral process, after Farmajo withdrew the prime minister’s mandate to organise the elections and called for the creation of a new committee to “correct” the shortcomings.
Roble, who has not responded to Monday’s suspension announcement, said Farmajo did not want to hold “a credible election in this country”.
Farmajo in turn has accused Roble of trying to influence an investigation into a scandal involving army-owned land after the prime minister sacked the defence minister and replaced him on Sunday.
“The prime minister has pressurised the minister of defence to divert the investigations of the case relating to the grabbed public land,” Monday’s statement said.
Somalia’s elections have been hamstrung by delays for several months.
In April, pro-government and opposition fighters opened fire in the streets of Mogadishu after Farmajo extended his term without holding fresh elections.