Somalia: PM fires Minister, official arrested for fraud

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire has on Thursday sacked his minister of Education, Abdirahman Dahir Osman after public outcry, Garowe Online reports.

The news was broadcast on the country’s state media, citing a statement from the office of the PM. The reasons for Osman’s firing have not been given.

Sources revealed to Garowe Online that the move was aimed at preventing a "scheduled" rally by University students against the Minister's remarks that he doesn’t recognise degrees earned at the current universities in the country.

Prior to his sacking, the immediate former Education Minister said his statement was 'grossly misinterpreted' by the local media and extended his apology to the public. 

The Minister of State for Education, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdulle has been appointed as the acting Minister of Education, according to the decree dating 26th July 2018.

Osman who has been in office since 2017, becomes the second cabinet minister to be sacked in a month. PM Khaire fired Religous Affairs Minister, Hassan Moalim Hussein.

-Senior official arrested for fraud-

Somali security forces arrested on Wednesday night a senior official at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management over corruption allegations.

The official identified as Dahir Mohamed Nur has been blamed for stealing a large sum of funds totalling $84,000 in public funds.

He was in charge of the Directorate of the resettlement program for locally displaced persons [IDPs] at the embattled Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.

GAROWE ONLINE