Mohamed Hussein Roble moved into the Office of the Prime Minister at a handing over ceremony held on Sunday, September 27.
However, one of the major stories from the ceremony was the absence of his immediate predecessor, Hassan Ali Khaire.
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, the leader of the opposition Wadajir Party, criticized the entire ceremony as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Warsame said that the constitution clearly defines the process to be followed during such historic moments.
He mentioned that Khaire should have been present to hand over the reins to Roble.
Instead, Roble was ushered into office by Mahdi Mohamed Gulaid, the Deputy Prime Minister, who had served as the Acting Prime Minister since Khaire’s ouster from office in late July.
Khaire was among top political leaders in Somalia who congratulated Roble for his appointment by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo into office around two weeks ago.
The reasons for his absence at Roble’s event remain unclear, though.