Somalia: HirShabelle State in deadlock over Cabinet picks

JOWHAR, Somalia - The leaders of HirShabelle, Somalia's southern Federal Member state were reported to be in a standoff over the lineup of the new cabinet members, Garowe Online reports.

The state Parliamentarians are at loggerheads with newly inaugurated President Mohamed Abdi Waare in the appointment of his cabinet outside HirShabelle Parliament, reliable sources told GO.

The Vice President of the administration Ali Abdullahi Hussein [Guudlaawe] threw his weight behind the regional lawmakers pushing President Waare to pick his ministers from the state assembly.

The MPs' pursuit to see themselves in the coming new government sparked a growing political deadlock in the fragile Somali Federal Member state which has already been facing numerous challenges, including security and internal conflict.

HirShabelle Parliament has voted out first President Ali Abdullahii Osoble in August 2017 following a dispute and elected Mohamed Abdi Waare as the second leader of the state in a ballot held in Jowhar.

Waare, a former aid worker who was inaugurated last month has pledged to form an effective government based on the power-share scheme that could solve the crises in HirShabelle and the long-running clan rivalry.

GAROWE ONLINE