Somalia's president 'dismisses' prime minister

Somalia's prime minister has vowed to contest the president's decision

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Sunday, 14, Dec 2008 11:45

Somalia's president Abdullahi Yusuf has said he has sacked the country's prime minister over the poor security in the country.

The east African country has not had an effective central government since warlords overthrew the government in 1991.

In 2006, neighbouring Ethiopia invaded Somalia to remove the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), who were in control of the country's capital, from power.

Governance of the country was then taken over by the transitional government from the city of Baidoa as the UIC launched an insurgency against Ethiopian troops.

In comments cited by the AFP news agency, Somalia's president told reporters that he would nominate a new prime minister within the next few days.

He said: "The government of Nur Hassan Hussein was unable to perform its duties and I am obliged to save the country."

Under Somalian state law, which outlines the transitional government's role and procedures, parliament and not the president alone has the authority to sack the prime minister.

The speaker of the Somali parliament told the AFP news agency: "Parliament will deliberate on the issue and will decide on the way forward. I don't want to speak further before the session but everything will be dealt with according to the terms of the federal transitional charter."

The country's prime minister, Mr Hussein, has said he will hold a press conference later today to outline his position, adding that the president could not sack him.

Political instability in the country has seen pirates hijack numerous ships off the country's coast demanding ransom for the return of crew and the ship.

The rising number of pirates in the crucial waterway that leads from the Middle East through Africa has caused alarm in the international community.