The new acting president has long been a vocal critic of Abdi Iley
Mustafa Muhumed Omer, 45, has been nominated as acting president of the Somali region until the next party congress in 2020, it was announced. The Ethiopian-Somali People’s Democratic Party (ESPDP)’s executive committee has elected him to be acting president in its meeting held today, BBC Amharic reported.
Mustafa had served as a humanitarian liaison officer for the United Nations in Mogadishu, Zimbabwe, the United Arab Emirates and Kenya. Prior to that, he held different positions in the Somali region until he was forced to flee.
Though Mustafa is not a member of ESPDP, the party’s rules and regulations permit him to be an interim president, Ahmed Abdi Mohamed “Ilkacase” who has been leading the region for the past two weeks said. Ilkacase had replaced the once-powerful president Abdi Mohamoud Omar (Abdi Iley) who was forced to step down after the intervention of the federal army. It was not disclosed why Ilkacase wouldn’t continue with the position but a political insider said there have been unresolved issues surrounding Ilkacase’s legitimacy, his closeness to Abdi Iley and internal party squabbles that have heightened the debate on the succession.
Analysts predict that Mustafa will set out to purge Abdi Illey’s factions and loyalists, and consolidate his own power in the region. There are already reports that indicate mayor of kebri Dahar and mayor of Gode have been removed from their posts and the party’s membership.
Mustafa has also been elected deputy chairman of the party, second to the chairman, minister of government communications affairs office, Ahmed Shide.
Mustafa has long been a vocal critic of Abdi Iley on issues of human right abuses and abuse of power. Mustafa has a B.A in Economics from Addis Ababa University and a master’s degree in Agriculture Economics from Imperial College, London.
Supporters say Mustafa would make a great president. Awol Allo, a lecturer in law at Keele University School of Law tweeted ,“I have known Mustefa Omer for nearly two years now and have had extensive conversations with him on the politics of Somali regional state, Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. I can’t think of a more intelligent, decent, and perceptive candidate that can move the Somali region forward,”
The rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) declared its support for the newly appointed president but criticised the continuous interference of the federal government in Somali affairs, in what it described as breach of self-rule rights enshrined in the Ethiopian constitution. “ONLF calls the Federal government to desist from any further violations,” the statement reads.
Update: ESPDP has issued a statement saying that it has expelled 19 members the party’s core leadership that it has accused of committing appalling human rights abuses against people in the region. 29 members have been given a warning.
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