| Front Page |
Hargeisa (SL Times) - Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin has appointed a new batch of ministers. The long-awaited announcement, which came out on Thursday, revealed the appointment of 23 ministers and 11 assistant ministers. In earlier appointments made on June 6, the President filled 7 key ministerial posts that saw among others the nomination of Edna Adan Ismail as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Hashi Elmii, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Awil A. Duale as Minister of Finance. The remaining four ministers: Interior’s Ismail Adan Osman, Planning’s Axmed H. Dahir, Public Work’s Osman Q. Qodah and Defense’s Ismail Omer Adan (Boss), all retained their previous posts under the June 6 announcement.
In the new line up announced last Thursday, Mr Qodah was shifted to the Ministry of Health. Many members of Rayale’s previous cabinet members were also retained. Only the two ministers of Health and Rural Development were ousted out of the cabinet.
The outgoing Minister of Health has been praised by colleagues and observers for his dedicated efforts to lay the foundation for a workable health system in Somaliland. It’s very much doubtful if his successor will be able to complete the job.
Only six of the 23 Ministers appointed on Thursday are joining the cabinet for the first time. They include Fadumo Sudi who, as the only woman in the group and the second in the entire cabinet, will assume the position of Minister of Family Development and Social Affairs; Hassan M. Gadhweyne, new Minister of Education; Abdi Hassan Buni, Minister for Parliamentarian relations; and Dr. Idris I. Abdi, new Minister of Livestock.
The only Junior Minister to have been promoted as a result of President Rayale’s reshuffle is Qasim Sh. Yusuf who as the new Minister of Water and Minerals will become a senior cabinet member.
President Rayale’s decision to retain most of the notorious members of his cabinet has angered the overwhelming majority of the public. Shortly after he had won the April 14 presidential elections, Mr. Rayale promised that he would form an effective government. The focus of the public has been on reform of the government.
Many of the ministers are corrupt and incompetent. The fact that most of them have been rehired will definitely lower the prestige of this government and the opinion that people have of President Rayale.
Home | Contact us | Links | Archives