Somalia's Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein iscoming under intense pressure after some parliamentarians presented a motionseeking to remove him from his position. The parliamentarians accused Husseinof embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds, as well as undermining thecountry's security. They also accused Prime Minister of lacking a vision todevelop the country. Some political analysts say the removal of Prime MinisterHussein would seriously jeopardize the recently signed Djibouti Agreement,which seeks to bring peace and stability to Somalia.
AmbassadorNicolahBwakira is the Africa Union's special representative to Somalia. He tellsreporter Peter Clottey from Kenya's capital, Nairobi that the accusationsagainst Prime Minister Hussein are preposterous.
"Firstof all I don't think those graft allegations are founded. Secondly, I know forhaving been talking to both the president of the TFG (Transitional FederalGovernment) and the Prime Minister Nur Hassan and they are in very serioustalks about the difference of interpretation about the constitution. I havealso been talking to the speaker of the parliament whom I have met last week onFriday. I think they are resolving their differences in a very reasonable wayto support the Djibouti Agreement," Bwakira pointed out.
He said if the motion inparliament to remove the prime minister succeeds, the recently signed DjiboutiAgreement would be significantly affected.
"I would agree that if he(Nur Hassan) was removed the Djibouti agreement will be in trouble indeed. ButSomali political leaders are very wise leaders. The speaker of the parliament whomI met Friday last week has told me he was in touch with the deputy speaker andthe bureau of the parliament and I don't expect the (removal of the primeminister) to happen. Of course in any parliament, it is free to vote a motionof no confidence, but if it happens it will be done after considering thehighest interest of Somalia. And the highest interest of Somalia at this momentis the implementation of the Djibouti Agreement. That is why I think this ismore a stage than on reality," he said.
Bwakira said there was needto fully implement the Djibouti Agreement to restore the country's peace andstability.
"My advice to Somalis isthat the most important consideration should be the peace and stability ofSomalia. The second would be for them to consult with both the speaker and thePresident Abdullahi Yusuf whom I have also met on Friday. I think none of themwill like to jeopardize the Djibouti agreement and the peace process. I'mconvinced of that because I've seen the three leaders on Thursday and Fridaylast week and I'm confident that wisdom will prevail," Bwakira pointed out.
TheSomali Deputy Parliament Speaker Mohamed Omar Dalhareportedly said that members of parliament have two days to study the motionbefore voting, which requires 139 votes of the 275 members to pass.
It is, however, not certain whether the motion will muster the requiredmajority.
TheDjibouti Agreement, which was signed in early June by the transitional government and themain faction of the opposition coalition of the Alliance for the Reliberationof Somalia (ARS), aims to usher in a new era of stability in Somalia's future.
TheDjibouti Agreement also stipulates that a ceasefire should take effectthroughout Somalia 30 days after its signing. Under the pact, Ethiopian troopsin Somalia, who crossed into the country in late 2006 to help Somali governmentforces oust an Islamist administration in south and central Somalia, wouldwithdraw within 120 days after deployment of a" sufficient number" ofUN stabilization forces.