Somalia
Somalia: PM defiantly appoints new Cabinet
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Nov 16, 2008 - 4:11:37 PM

NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 16 (Garowe Online) - Somalia's interim Prime Minister, Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein, has announced the remaining members of a new Cabinet that has been publicly rejected by President Abdullahi Yusuf.

Speaking Sunday at a press conference in Kenya, Prime Minister Nur Adde said he is disappointed with President Yusuf's comments.

Somali Prime Minister Nur Adde

"I was expected to appoint a new Cabinet according to the IGAD decisions and in line with the Somali parliament's vote, but the President opposes this," the Prime Minister said.

He vowed to take the Cabinet list for approval to parliament, but warned that President Yusuf does not want lawmakers to return to Baidoa, the seat of parliament.

"He [Yusuf] does not want parliament to achieve full quorum, so the government can continue working," Prime Minister Nur Adde said.

He accused the Somali president of opposing reconciliation, saying: " The President does not want reconciliation and he opposes the creation of regional governments."

The Prime Minister appointed 10 new ministers and 17 deputy ministers, including Salad Ali Jeele as deputy minister for defense.

Mr. Jeele held the same post under the government of Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, Nur Adde's predecessor who resigned last year after feuding with President Yusuf.

Somalia's top leaders have disagreed strongly over Prime Minister Nur Adde's new Cabinet, leading President Yusuf to finally admit that there is "no government" in Somalia. READ: 'There is no government': President Yusuf

An Islamist-led insurgency is gaining ground and the Islamists now control most regions in central and southern Somalia.

Source: Garowe Online