Ezega
Friday February 8, 2019
The Somali regional state of Ethiopia has been going through weird political developments in the last month or so.
The chief administrator of the region, Mustafa Omer, who replaced the former Somali strongman Abdi Mohamed Omer, commonly known as Abdi Illey, in August Illey last year all but accused the Chairman of the Somali People’s Democratic Party (SPDP), Ahmed Shide, of plotting to remove him from office.
Further, Mustafa Omer accused Ahmed Shide and others of working with forces loyal to former Somali President Abdi Illey.
This is strange given the fact that Abdi Illey is in federal custody and Ahmed Shide is not ony the SPDP leader but also the Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation within the Abiy Ahmed cabinet.
Ahmed Shide was called to the region for consultations but never showed up, according to latest reports. The two leaders then reportedly met in Addis Ababa with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who apparently was trying to bring peace between them.
Now, in a meeting that was held in Jigjig, the capital of the Somali Regional State, the regional council lifted the immunity of 12 of its members.
From the 12 individuals, who are suspected of a number of crimes, six of them have already been placed under custody, according to sources from the region. The list includes Ahmed Abdi, former vice president of the region, Mohammed Rashid, former speaker of the regional council, as well as Suad Ahmed, former vice president of the region.
Here follows the full list of members of the Somali Regional State Council whose parliamentary immunity has been lifted.
1. Mrs Suat Mohamded -former deputy chief administrator of the regional state
2. Ahmed Abdi- former head of finance bureau
3. Mrs Ferhan Abdi – former head of water development bureau
4. Mrs Mujib Mohammed – former head of civil service bureau
5. Abdi Mohammed – former head of livestock affairs bureau
6. Heber Abdi- former head of trade and industry bureau
7. Mrs Majida Mohammed- head of former chief administrator’s office
8. Mrs Ayan Gulande – former head of Gode town finance office
9. Mohamed Heryo – former deputy head of education bureau
10. Abdimohamed Mohammed Abas- former head of pastoral and rural development bureau
11. Mohammed Bile – former head of technical and vocational training bureau
12. Mrs Nesra Hassen- advisor of former chief administrator’s office
The Council lifted their immunity on suspicion of corruption and participating in the violence occurred in the region state in the past.