MOGADISHU: Somalia’s president has appointed as prime minister a relatively little known businessman, Abdi Farah Shirdon Said, senior government sources said yesterday.
“Said has been named as the prime minister,” a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, ahead of an expected official statement. Saaid, a political newcomer, has been a prominent businessman in neighboring Kenya and is married to Asha Haji Elmi, an influential Somali peace activist.
A Western diplomat said Saaid had a reputation for being above Somalia’s notoriously volatile clan politics, similar to the new president, and the news of his appointment would be welcomed by foreign governments.
“Like all the decisions the new president has made so far, this is a good one, and Somalia is on a bit of a roll with the election of (Mohamed Osman) Jawaari as Parliament speaker and Mohamud as president,” the diplomatic source told Reuters.
Mohamud, a former academic and a political newcomer himself, was elected president in a secret ballot on Sept. 10.
Little known businessman named new Somali premier
