General Yusuf Rageh has officially taken over from General Dahir Aden as Army Commander for Somalia National Army amid row with Kenya Defense Forces.
President Mohammed Farmaajo made the changes on Tuesday evening following the retirement of General Aden who had been in charge for over four years.
The changes comes amid rift between Somalia federal government with Kenya Defense Forces, who are accused of using excessive powers.
KDF was last week accused of killing a staff of Hormuud Telcom besides destroying a mast at Gedo region within Jubbaland in Sector 2 of AMISOM.
The ICT minister projected KDF and to a larger extent Kenya as an enemy, who is out to destroy the country's economy which has struggled for decades since 1990.
“We urge AMISOM to engage with the Somali government in the investigation of these repeated attacks and believe it is important to take appropriate action against this adversary who targets our economy and business per international law,” the Minister of Taxation said.
General Aden, who is Turkey trained, handed over instruments of power after overseeing liberation of several towns across Somalia from Al-Shabaab militants.
"New army chief General Odawaa Yusuf Rageh (right) takes over the reigns from his predecessor General Dahir Aden Elmi “Indhoqarsho”. Mogadishu, August 27, 2019," said Harun Maruf.
The new general will have to look for strategies of working with allied forces in Somalia amid strained relationship with Kenya, which is also accused of interfering with Somalia's domestic matters.
Last week, Modadishu accused Nairobi of imposing President Ahmed Madobe as Jubbaland president. Madobe was easily re-elected despite heated opposition.