MOGADISHU, Somalia – Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday carried out a targeted cabinet shake-up, removing two senior ministers and naming new appointees in what his office described as a push to inject fresh momentum into government work and accelerate stalled priorities.
In a decree released from the prime minister’s office, Ambassador Jamaal Mohamed Hassan was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry, replacing MP Mahamud Geesood, while Senator Ayuub Ismail Yusuf was named Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction, taking over from Dr. Elmi Mahamud Nur. Government spokesperson Abdinasser Sahansaho confirmed that the changes take effect immediately.
Beyond administrative considerations, Jamaal’s appointment carries clear political overtones. He is widely seen as having played a supportive role in backing the federal government’s preferred candidate during the recent Northeastern State election, a contest that tested Mogadishu’s influence in the region.
His elevation to a key economic portfolio is being interpreted by observers as both a reward for loyalty and a signal of the prime minister’s intent to consolidate allies as the government navigates delicate federal–state relations.
Sahansaho said the reshuffle reflects the prime minister’s determination to sharpen the performance of federal institutions as the administration presses ahead with its political, economic, and reconstruction agenda. “The goal is to move faster and deliver more,” he told reporters.
The changes come at a politically sensitive moment, as the federal leadership faces mounting pressure over the proposed 2026 election model and a series of controversial constitutional amendments that have deepened divisions among federal member states and political stakeholders.
