Divisions rip through Somalia's Ethiopia-backed govt

[Hiiraan boy]

BAIDOA, Somalia Oct 11 (Garowe Online) - Political divisions stirred by disagreement between Somalia's interim president and prime minister have ripped through the weak transitional authority trying to impose central rule after 17 years of disorder.

Both President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi were in the town of Baidoa, 250km northwest of Mogadishu, where many lawmakers have proposed a vote of confidence motion against Gedi's government.

Some 22 Cabinet ministers out of a total of 31 issued a letter Thursday saying Gedi's term ends on October 12. The ministers threatened to resign if Gedi refused to appear in front of parliament and face the confidence vote.

But Gedi supporters within the Cabinet held a rival meeting in Baidoa saying the Prime Minister has a year and half left in office.

The political division has also affected Ethiopian troops in Somalia.

An Ethiopian army base was attacked by a suicide bomber in Baidoa, killing at least 3 soldiers.

Sources in Baidoa said Ethiopian generals postponed their plans to disarm Yusuf and Gedi's security forces for fear of an armed clash.

Today's parliament session was postponed with Speaker Adan "Madobe" Mohamed telling reporters the move was due to Eid celebration after the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Speaker Madobe also said he takes no sides in the dispute between Yusuf and Gedi and pledged to uphold the law.

In Mogadishu, government forces came on the verge of armed clashes after a commander allied to Yusuf demanded the Mogadishu port authority pay $US100,000.

Col. Farah Qare, backed by soldiers and 3 armored trucks, took a document signed by President Yusuf to port authorities asking for the cash withdrawal. The port authorities informed regional police and the mayor of Mogadishu, inside sources said.

Police forces loyal to national commander Gen. Abdi Qeybdiid and Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere rushed to the port with 14 battlewagons, forcing many port workers to flee the scene.

Mayor Dheere and Gen. Qeybdiid reached Mogadishu port later today and ordered Col. Qare to take his document to the Central Bank.

The incident underscores the division of loyalties within the government, insiders suggested. Dheere vacated his parliament seat in 2004 so Gedi could be appointed as the government's first prime minister.

Somalia's interim government, created in 2004, is struggling to restore order in Mogadishu where a violent insurgency rages.

But divisions within the government have added a new dimension to the country's myriad of conflicts.

[Hiiraan boy]

end of TFG soon

after that no more majerten will ever be president. they will be banned like merehan was banned since 1991.

[Basra's Stomach]

I want to ban your mother from my bedroom.

[MJ-Pride]

So 22 of the 31 Cabinets are for Abdullahi Yusuf, 5 undecide and a mere 4 cabinets are pro Geedi. Geedi will be shown the door after the EED and after that another Abgaal Dameer in to subdue the Hawiye

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Remeber the TFG is Somalia's last chance at having a central government.

[Shirib]

At the end of the day it all depends on who the Ethiopians are with becuase that guy is probably gonna win.

If the Habashi's don't get envolved Majeerteen won't be able to win.

So now the mooryaan are the police? Some government.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

So the question is, what would be better, no government, or bad government?

[X-unit]

The End of Caasho Yusuf

[James Dahl]

[quote="MAD MAC"]So the question is, what would be better, no government, or bad government?[/quote]

Well let's do the math shall we?

No government: business boom in Mogadishu, renaissance of civil society and journalism in Mogadishu and the south, declining warlord power, rising security and standards of living. People flocked back to Mogadishu.

bad government: business bust in Mogadishu, civil society and journalism virtually banned and fleeing the country, rising warlord power, rising insecurity and plummeting standards of living. People are fleeing from Mogadishu.

Bad government has proven indeed to be much, much worse than no government at all.