Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has issued a decree appointing Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi as a caretaker leader for the Southwest state administration, APA can report on Thursday.
Abdi will serve the role for an unspecified period and he, among others, will be in charge of advancing preparations for one-person, one-vote elections in the regional state.
The appointment followed the ouster of Southwest regional President Abdulaziz Hassan Mohamed Lafta-Gareen, after days of mounting political tension and clashes involving regional and federal forces in and around Baidoa city.
Reports indicated that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to travel on Thursday to Baidoa, the interim capital of the Southwest state, where political consultations are anticipated.
It is indicated that the caretaker arrangement is intended to manage the transition period and pave the way for a new regional leadership.
The Southwest state has been at the center of a political standoff in recent days, with federal authorities emphasizing the need for an interim administration to oversee stability and prepare for elections.
The disputes involved constitutional amendments approved by Somalia’s federal parliament extending the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years.
MG/abj/APA