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Somali Parliament Approves Cabinet

   VOA News 27 November 2010

   Somalia's  parliament  has  approved  the  cabinet proposed by the new
   prime  minister,  after  a  prior  attempt  to  endorse  the ministers
   descended into chaos.
   Parliament  speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden said 251 lawmakers voted
   in  favor  of  the Cabinet in a parliamentary session Saturday, and 92
   voted against it.
   On  Monday, a fight broke out on the floor of Somalia's parliament, as
   lawmakers  argued  about  whether  a  vote  to approve the new cabinet
   should be held by secret ballot.
   The  speaker said he favored a secret ballot, prompting an outcry from
   parliamentarians  who  said  the vote should be conducted by a show of
   hands.
   Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed nominated the cabinet earlier
   this month. Â
   The  transitional Somali government has been plagued by infighting for
   years.  The  turmoil has hampered efforts to fight Islamist insurgents
   who want to turn Somalia into a strict Islamic state.
   Mr.  Mohamed replaced Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake, who
   resigned  in  September  after  feuding  with  President Sheikh Sharif
   Sheikh Ahmed about a new constitution.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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