Somalia: Fresh Turmoil, Uncertainty as President Resigns
Posted by travelhouseuk on December 30, 2008
Nairobi — Fresh turmoil and uncertainty loom for the people of Somalia – already ravaged by displacement, conflict, drought and hyper-inflation – after the country’s interim president resigned on 29 December.Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed resigned after disagreements with parliament and his prime minister, as well as pressure from the international community.”President Abdullahi Yusuf resigned at around 1000am local time. The speaker of parliament, Sheikh Aden Madobe, is now the acting president until a new one is elected,” Abdi Haji Gobdon, the government spokesman told IRIN.
Gobdon said parliament had to elect a new president within 30 days, according to the interim constitution.
Yusuf’s resignation comes days after the man he appointed as prime minister, Mohamed Mahamud Guled, resigned – in defiance of parliament.
Yusuf, a former warlord, was elected four years ago to a five-year term in the hope that he would bring peace and stability to the war-torn country.
According to local sources, Yusuf, in a resignation speech, told parliament he had failed to do so, and blamed both Somalis and the international community for his failure.
