An unusual phenomenom in the post civil war Somalia political scenario is been experienced. The election of Mohamed Mursal as the Speaker of the Lower House is enough prove that the executive unlike in the previous administrations, is a united force.
The ousting of long time serving Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari was seen by analysts as an executive versus Speaker proxy battle in Parliament and Mursal´s ascension to replace him a concerted effort by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Prime Minister Hassan Khaire.
Rewind back to 2000. Abdikassim Salat was the President of the Transitional National Government established after the Djibouti talks. Salat appointed Ali Khalif as his Prime Minister. But a political rift between the two would follow ending with the impeachment of Khalif by Parliament.
During his term in office Salat appointed three Premiers and ended his presidency in a political crisis.
2004 Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was elected the President of the Transitional Federal Government in Nairobi Kenya at a time when large swaths of Somalia was under clan warlords.
Yusuf appointed Ali Ghedi as the Prime Minister and kicked in earnest a team determined to end warlordism. From the humble seat of government in Jowhar to Baidoa they managed to establish the administration in the capital Mogadishu with the backing of Ethiopian forces. Yusuf who was from Puntland enjoyed the Mogadishu clan backing that Ghedi offered.
The duo however fell out two years later reportedly following a $ 20M grant by the Saudi Arabia government.
Yusuf and Ghedi would seek Parliament backing to oust each other until international intervention pressured the latter to resign.
Nur Adde would replace Ghedi as the Prime Minister and after another crisis Yusuf resigned.
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed became President in 2009 and appointed Omar Sharmarke as the Prime Minister but he was later to be replaced by Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo who in turn was replaced by Abdiweli Gaas after pressure from the international community.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was elected in 2012 and under him two Premiers were impeached.
Farmaajo has three more years to finish his term and with Mursal seen as an ally analysts predict a more effective government that can now focus on it´s agenda with no political sideshows to destruct him.
“Farmaajo enjoys an opportunity which other presidents did not have. He has majority backing in Parliament , he is reading from the same script with his Prime Minister and the Speaker is assumed to be his project in quotes. He can deliver his agenda with no challenge. He does not have an excuse not to” Abdirizak Mohamed a political analyst told Radio Dalsan .
Vocal MP Mohamud Abukate however differs with the notion that Farmaajo has a total control of the Legislative.
“The opposition in Parliament remains a force to reckon with. Ibrahim Yarow had garnered 120 votes out of the 265 who voted. This is a significant number that can sway the business of the House” Abukate told Radio Dalsan.
