Somali President Appoints His Chief of Staff
Kamal Gutale, Somali President’s Chief of Staff at the Somali Police Academy. Photo. Monday, Sep 10, 2012
Mogadishu—Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has chosen former senior advisor to the Prime Minister, Kamal Dahir Gutale as his acting Chief of Staff, sources close to the Presidency told Heegan Times on Monday.
The source said Gutale’s appointment, the first by the President, “might change to permanent, to help the new administration speed up reforms of the Federal Republic of Somalia”.
Gutale, who served as Personal Assistant under former Foreign Minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, is seen as a close ally of the President.
The young and cautious politician has graduated from University Of Malaya in Kuala-Lumber, Malaysia in 2007 with Masters of Business Administration.
Gutale has on Friday described President Mohamud, who unseated President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed last week, as “the Woodrow Wilson of Somalia” on his Facebook page.
Wilson, the late U.S President, a democrat, had defeated Republican incumbent William Howard in 1912 and passed progressive reforms.
Gutale’s selection to the top post is expected to cement the President’s popular support and quell the claims of the weakening militant group, Al-shabaab, who say they represent the best hope for youth.
Editing by Abdiaziz Hassan
