Ousted Somali PM resigns

 MOGADISHU,

   Ousted Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said he has resigned from his premiership post to protect the unity of the country and not to become part of a political, security, economic and social crisis.

   "I have decided to set an example for the Somali people and resign from my position in the interest of the unity of the Somali people and not to return to destruction and suffering," Khaire in a statement on Saturday evening.

   Khaire, who worked for the Norwegian Refugee Council before joining the British energy explorer Soma Oil and Gas, is expected to contest for the presidency in the forthcoming polls.

   He said the vote which surprised the international community will undermine the ongoing process of dialogue and negotiation between the federal government and member states.

   Khaire who holds dual Somali-Norwegian citizenship said he served his country and people with honesty and integrity, believing that it was a constitutional duty to do so.

   He said he worked tirelessly to ensure that all civil servants including security forces promptly received their monthly salaries in full.

   The former school teacher in Norway said he also achieved the benchmark set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank for Somalia to begin receiving debt relief.

The debt relief was a major step forward for Somalia's economic progress, allowing the country to advance towards its long-term objective of inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction.

   The legislators on Saturday accused Khaire of failing to maintain security and conduct timely democratic elections as stipulated in the constitution.

   The Parliament also accused the government of failure to complete federalism, make decisions on the status of Mogadishu, failure to hold a referendum on constitution and failure to implement political parties' system.

   Somali lawmakers voted on Saturday to oust Khaire in a vote of no-confidence.

   Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed in a statement issued a few hours after Khaire's ouster said he had accepted the decision of the legislators to impeach Khaire, citing the need to maintain the unity of the various arms of government.

   He appointed the deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled to act as the caretaker prime minister.

   The Somali leader said Guled will continue to manage activities of the cabinet 

on an interim basis until a replacement is made. (Xinhua)