Speaker Madobe reads the riot act on security chiefs over politics

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Newly-elected Speaker of the Lower House Sheikh Adan Madobe has warned security chiefs against political entanglement and directed they take orders from him regarding election security until a new president is elected.

The meeting was attended by among others, Somali’s police boss Gen. Abdi Hassan Hijaar, Acting NISA boss MP Yassin Farey, infantry Commander Gen. Mohamed Bihi Tahlil, Banadir police commissioner Farhan Qarole as well as other police chiefs.

Madobe’s statement comes in light of recent accusations against the country’s security forces for being partisan and attempting to scuttle the election of Lower House speaker. Security Minister Abdullahi Nur announced last week he was suspending police commissioner Gen. Hajar but the police chief is still in office.

Just recently, the Interim speaker of Somalia’s parliament Abdisalam Dhaban’ad said that he was attacked by government troops during the swearing-in of 16 newly-elected MPs from the Gedo region.

Madobe’s stance on the security chiefs comes amid debate on whether he should take over as acting president since the term of President Mohamed Farmaajo ended over one and half years ago.

Currently, Somalia is upbeat about holding Presidential elections after the successful wrapping up of Lower and Upper House polls following a series of setbacks going back more than a year, with election for the top seat set to be held in the coming days.