After spending weeks deliberating his choice for prime minister among a list of experienced and educated candidates, the Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, decided in the end to appoint his adviser’s husband to the position of premier.
Abdi Farah Shirdon is the husband of Asha Haji Elmi, the most powerful female parliamentarian in the new Somali government. Mr. Shirdon was also a financier of Hassan Sheikh’s campaign in September, helping the unknown candidate achieve high placement among rivals.
Before his appointment as prime minister, Mr. Shirdon was a businessmen and NGO fundraiser, often seen promoting his wife’s non-profit campaigns. He is also a member of the president’s Dam Al-Jadid (New Blood) network, a group of political Islamists based in Mogadishu.
Abdi Farah Shirdon is seen as a toothless prime minister accompanying a powerless and timid president. Neither the president, nor his premier, nor his advisory team have any political experience inside Somalia.
Some experts have given a six-month timeline before this new government finds itself isolated and unable to continue its term.
DissidentNation.com
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