Somali Parliament confirms Hassan Ali Kheyre as PM

Hassan Ali Kheyre, 49, has been appointed as Somalia's prime minister. PHOTO | AFP 

By ABDULKADIR KHALIF

Somalia’s Parliament Wednesday confirmed new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre.

While opening the first session of the 10th Parliament, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo urged the legislators to approve his choice for the premier.

The president had nominated Mr Kheyre last week.

READ: Why Khaire was appointed Somalia's prime minister

The head of State also told the MPs that his government would fight to eliminate corruption and the Al Shabaab terrorist group, “the country’s two greatest enemies”.
He introduced Mr Kheyre in Parliament, who reiterated the president’s stand against graft.

“I promise that stern measures will be taken against anybody found involved in corruption,” Mr Kheyre told the MPs.

Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari chaired the session in which of the 231 MPs present, 299 voted to endorse Mr Kheyre as prime minister while two abstained with no objections.

He was then sworn in in Parliament by the Supreme Court president.

The new premier is expected to name the Cabinet in consultation with the president, which must also be approved by Parliament.

President Farmajo had said Tuesday that he expected the prime minister to “form the government in a fortnight in order not to waste time.”