Waagacusub.net- The new Prime Minister, Mr. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed is in limbo. In his attempt to appease the parliamentarians and their cohorts, who are making ridiculous demands, has inadvertently opened the Pandora’s Box. It has exploded on his face and now he is in a state of puzzlement.

The Prime Minister is inundated with demands and threats day and night by hundreds of these parliamentarians, vagabonds and street thugs who all want to be named Cabinet Minister. They are openly threatening that they will block and will not approve the new government in Parliament unless their names are on the new ministers’ list.

This erratic behavior of the parliamentarians took everybody by surprise. It is now clear, that almost half of the 184 parliamentarians who had vigorously campaigned and voted for the removal of Mr. Shirdon were motivated by personal interests. Some hoped that they will be named themselves as the new Prime Minister; others were vying to become a Cabinet Minister or at least Vice Minister, in the next Prime Minister’s Cabinet Ministers consisting of only 20 to 25 ministerial posts and similar number of vice ministers. Only few of them could be included in the new Cabinet but not all of them obviously.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud named Mr. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed as the new Prime Minister on December 12, 2013 only ten days after the Somali Parliament ousted the previous Prime Minister Mr. Abdi Farah Shirdon in an overwhelming 184 out of 275 vote of no confidence.

The new Prime Minister in consultation with the President was given the task of naming his Cabinet and bringing it to the Parliament for approval within 30 days. The Prime Minister was not able to deliver it within the specified time and has asked for more time; due to interference from the members of the Parliament who think that they can dictate who should be and who should not be in the new Prime Minister’s Cabinet.

The names of the members of the parliament who have applied for a Ministerial Position or have lobbied for a relative or a friend’s application should be made public. Certainly, they are guilty of conflict of interest. They should be barred from voting in the proposed Motion in Parliament that clearly interferes with the Prime Minister’s job or voting in any other issue related to the approval of the new government.

The parliament’s constant pickering is a shame. The Somali people are tired of Rent-Seeking individuals whose sole aim is get-rich-quick Scheme. The Parliament should know that the country is in powder keg situation and that they should put the interest of the country ahead of their personal interest.

The country is in an urgent need of a government whose power is respected that can establish rule of law, without any further delay.

Abdinur Ali Farah

Toronto, Canada

Email: [email protected]