MOGADISHU, Somalia – The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo having seen and realized;
THAT Article 87 of the Provisional Constitution confers upon him the duty as the custodian and promoter of the basic principles of the Constitution;
THAT a presidential decree regarding the protection of public lands in accordance with Article 43 of the Provisional Constitution was issued on 18 January 2018;
THAT the law banning the misuse and misappropriation of public property during the elections period came into effect on 27 October 2021;
THAT the Prime Minister has been involved in encroachment of public land owned by the Somali National Army;
THAT the Somali National Army Command has commenced an investigation into allegations of misappropriation of public land owned by the Somali National Army;
THAT the Prime Minister has put pressure on the Minister of Defense to which amounts to tampering with investigation into the alleged encroachment on the SNA property;
THAT the Prime Minister on 26 December 2021, in an undue reshuffle, named a new Minister of Defense before the completion of the ongoing investigation over abuse of public lands owned by SNA;
The President announces the following;
WHEREAS Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble is accused in an ongoing investigation on corruption and abuse of public land, the duty and powers of the Prime Minister remain suspended pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
All Members of the Council of Ministers shall continue to exercise their duties in accordance with the laws and regulations of the country;
All government officials are urged to abide by the laws and regulations of the country and refrain from abuse of office and encroachment of public property and
The move comes as a political tension between President Mohamed Abdullahi Famajo and his premier Mohamed Hussein Roble came back on Sunday.
On Saturday, president Farmajo has accused his PM Roble of failing to hold timely and transparent elections across the country.
The president also called for a consultative meeting with state leaders in Mogadishu in a move to choose a capable leadership to spearhead timely, fair and free elections.
Meanwhile, Roble has issued a statement in response to Farmajo’s move, saying he will not accept that any particular candidate to abuse the electoral process.
Roble says his meeting with state leaders would take place as planned in Mogadishu.
He also called for a joint combat against some individuals whom he termed as spoilers and accused them of being obstacle to peace and state-building in Somalia.
The fresh dispute was fuelled by the removal of members of the election committee, raising fears of a renewal of armed clashes in the capital, Mogadishu.
