The Ministry of Internal Security in Somalia has abruptly terminated Mrs. Samira Gaid’s consultancy contract for the European Union-funded SJGAB Project.
This decision comes after she expressed her political opinions in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
The Ministry released a statement clarifying that Mrs. Samira Gaid’s recent tweets on political matters directly contradict the principles of impartiality and neutrality, which are crucial for individuals serving in advisory roles within government projects.
“Behaviors that undermine our principles of security, stability, and project integrity cannot be condoned or endorsed,” stated the Ministry.
They expressed doubts about Mrs. Samira Gaid’s ability to fulfill her responsibilities in a manner consistent with the project’s objectives and expected standards of professionalism.
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Abdirizak Mohamed MP, also criticized Mrs. Samira Gaid for expressing views against the federal government, which employs her.
He asserted that posting partisan political rhetoric while working for the Ministry of Internal Security demonstrates a lack of commitment to the vision and policies of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), particularly concerning security sector reform (SSR) during the ongoing African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (Atmis) drawdown.
In response, MP Abdirahman Abdishakur, leader of the Wadajir Party, expressed concern over a government minister openly threatening a citizen for expressing her opinion, leading to the termination of her consulting job.
He urged the Justice and Judiciary Committee of Parliament to intervene and investigate the matter to prevent similar practices in the future, calling on independent media to conduct their own investigations.
MP Abdirahman Abdishakur further criticized the government’s action, drawing attention to the suppression of freedom of speech and the potential consequences of injustice, corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power on the stability of the state.
He emphasized that suppressing opinions is a tactic employed by insecure regimes to hide their weaknesses and lack of competence.
Former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid also joined the criticism, questioning the justification for the government’s action when the President himself had encouraged citizens to exercise their rights and express their opinions on constitutional debates in one of his Friday lectures.
