Somalia : Hamza Abdi Is New Prime Minister

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has appointed Hamza Abdi Barre as the country’s Prime Minister following a decision made public on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 in the Somalian capital Mogadishu.  “The president wishes the new PM utmost success as he leads the government’s ambitious reform agenda and calls on Somali people to render him their unwavering support,” the presidency said on Twitter. The 48-year-old MP from the semi-autonomous state of Jubaland replaces Mohamed Hussein Roble, whose 22 months in office were marred by a rancorous dispute with the former President Mohamed Abdullahi.
Though the country is facing a host of challenges including a looming famine and an Islamist insurgency that has threatened to plunge the country back into violent chaos, Mr Hamza is conscious of the task ahead, “I am very happy that I have your confidence Mr President, and this shows that you believe I can be trusted with this huge task,” he told a joint news conference, promising “to work day and night” at the job. The communique announcing the appointment of the new Prime Minister also spelt out some salient aspects the head of government has to tackle such as, security, droughts, reconciliation and work on improving the country’s relationship with the rest of the world.
Since the election and swearing in of the new President, Hassan Sheik Mohamud (who previously served as president between 2012 and 2017) during a grandiose ceremony in Mogadishu attended by several regional heads of state, there has been hopes that his presidency will draw a line under the political crisis that festered for more than a year. His choice of Mr Hamza an MP from Kismayo, is not by error. The father of eight is a seasoned politician who has served in several ...