Defense minister Mursal quits barely 6 months in to contest Speaker seat

Defense Minister Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman has resigned his post barely six months into the job to vie for the post of Lower House speaker slated for April 30 adding to four the number of ministers who have since exited the cabinet.

Abdirahman who served as Somalia’s ambassador to Turkey was picked by Prime Minister Hassan Khaire last November following the resignation of then minister Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed early October.

According to the electoral rules released by the Lower House elections committee, ministers were given until today to vacate their posts before they could be registered as candidates in the election.

Water and Energy minister Salim Ibrow, Trade and Industry State minister Abdi Aziz Hassan Mohamed and Deputy Minister for Post and Telecommunication Isaaq Yarow quit yesterday.

The race to replace immediate former speaker Mohamed Jawari who stepped down early this month has since attracted five candidates. Besides the ministers, the rest of the candidates are former speaker Aadan Madobe and Sheikh Ali Mohamed.

The elections will take place April 30.

GOOBJOOG NEWS