Ministerial “reshuffle” worrying all
MOGADISHU,Friday, August 7, 2015-The Somali Federal Government will undertake another cabinet reshuffle soon according to sources. For a month before the High Level Partnership Forum meeting in Mogadishu last week there were speculations that the process of negotiating new posts between the President and PM was underway. Today, sources close to both informed HOL that this process is indeed taking place and is nearing an end.
“I don’t know if it is a reshuffle but certain Ministers will be sacked and their replacements promoted,” said a political insider who did not want to be named. “The process is definitely going on and some Ministers will be shocked.”
“I don’t think anyone knows which Ministers are been targeted but there are around 4-6 Minister’s been considered for replacement soon,” said another adviser at the PM’s office who did not want to be named.
The talk of reshuffle has long left the Villa Somalia compound and reached the streets of the capital and other parts of Somalia. In a popular Mogadishu cafe, students and public sector professionals were discussing which Minister’s they believe will be out of office soon. On their list were the Minister’s of Planning and Finance among others.
“I guess we don’t know until it happens but the rumours across town and in the media is that the reshuffle is on and about 6 Ministers will be replaced,” said Ahmed Ali a medical student in Mogadishu.
The rumours of reshuffle this close to the completion of the Government of President Hassan Sheikh Mahamoud’s term in 2016 is worrying for many political observers, business leaders and the Somali public. Many expressed their concerns to HOL but did not want to go on the record given that the reshuffle talks had yet to be confirmed by the Government officially.
“Somalia will be always known for government reshuffle. A Minister comes, he works for 6 months and he is fighting for his job after that. How can we achieve anything in Somalia in this way?” said Mohamed Nur, a business owner in downtown Mogadishu.
All approached for this article agreed that the reasons behind the reshuffle were not clear. However, like usual, they suspected it is political.
“I think both the President and PM are looking for places for those who lost out in the State Formation process in Galmudug and also rewarding a few friends too,” said a political analyst who did not want to be named. “Come on this is like the 4th reshuffle of important Ministers in 4 years. Is this Government serious about achieving anything?”
“Whatever the reason we all know a Somali Minister’s job is just a summer job. If any of them thought it was permanent they will be disappointed after this reshuffle,” added Jama Abdi, a NGO project management officer in Garowe who was spending time in Mogadishu with family.
Whether the reshuffle of Ministers will take place has yet to be confirmed by the Government. However, if it does happen it will surely have wide ranging implications for the achievements of many of its six pillar goals in the short time remaining until the end of this administrations mandate.