Iraq's CF backs Wasit governor's dismissal

Shafaq News – Baghdad

On Wednesday, Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), a political alliance dominated by Shiite parties, expressed support to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in dismissing Wasit Governor Mohammed Jameel al-Mayahy following an investigation that uncovered evidence of negligence related to last week’s deadly fire in Kut, eastern Iraq.

A source informed Shafaq News that al-Mayahy’s removal forms part of a wider legal process targeting officials implicated in emergency response failures.

Earlier, members of parliament from Wasit and other provinces gathered signatures backing a formal recommendation for the governor’s dismissal. Lawmakers are also preparing a request for a special parliamentary session to vote on the matter once the government issues its official decision.

This development came after a Coordination Framework meeting two days earlier, which focused on examining the causes of the fire that engulfed a large hypermarket in Kut, and killed more than 60 people, including women and children.

Preliminary findings pointed to serious shortcomings in the governor’s performance, prompting most coalition factions to support his removal.

The tragedy also led to the arrest of senior officials connected to the incident. Simultaneously, Iraq’s Civil Defense Directorate launched a nationwide campaign to enforce fire safety regulations, ordering the closure of 1,118 projects within 48 hours for violations.