Somalia appoints former Al-Shabaab leader as religion minister
Mogadishu, Somalia (AFP):
Somalia has appointed the former deputy leader and spokesman for the Al-Shabaab group as religion minister, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Tuesday.
The announcement marks a sharp reversal of fortune for Muktar Robow, who has spent the last four years under house arrest after a falling-out with ex-president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmajo.
Robow, 53, publicly defected from the Al-Qaeda-linked militants in August 2017, with the United States government at one point offering a $5-million bounty for his capture.
Robow was arrested in late 2018, days before he was scheduled to run in regional elections.
Farmajo’s government accused him of “organising a militia” in Baidoa, the capital of the southwestern Bay region, and seeking to “undermine stability”.
His arrest triggered sporadic protests with demonstrators burning images of Farmajo, whom they accused of meddling in regional affairs.
His elevation comes weeks after recently elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hinted at his government’s willingness to negotiate with Al-Shabaab, saying it would only happen when the time is right.
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