Somali President ‘Abdallah Yousuf Ahmad appointed Salim ‘Alyou ‘Abru prime minister after the previous leader resigned on Monday.
‘Abru was assistant to the prime minister before being appointed to the position.
The outgoing premier, ‘Ali Muhammad Gedi, explained his resignation as a measure to uphold Somalia’s stability.
“After consulting with my people and with the international community I’m resigning from the post of prime minister,” he said.
Gedi told the parliament he would not be leaving politics and urged the MPs to stand behind his replacement.
Gedi’s resignation after three years in office underlined his tense relationship with the president, which was marked by clan rivalry.
However, they both supported the neighboring Ethiopia, which helped oust the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) after a brief stint in power last year.
The interim government was installed last December after the Islamists were forcibly removed from power. The government has been unable to advance the reconciliation process with the ICU, a rival administration to the transitional government.
The parliament had previously called for a confidence vote in Gedi’s government. Yousuf supported the lawmakers who sought to remove the premier.
The government has still not gained full control of the capital, Mogadishu, since the ICU was ousted. The Islamists have continuously been fighting government forces, Ethiopian troops and peacekeepers.
The violence in Mogadishu increased over the last few days as fierce fighting between Ethiopian and Somali troops and ICU supporters reportedly left more than 50 dead.
The country has not had a stable government since 1991.