Tunisian President dismisses Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani: Statement

Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and appointed Social Affairs Minister Kamel Maddouri as his replacement, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Hachani was named as Tunisia's prime minister in August last year. 

A few hours before his dismissal, Hachani said in a video message that the government had made progress on several issues despite global challenges, including securing the country's food and energy needs.

The dismissal comes amid popular discontent with the recurring water and electricity outage crisis in many parts of the country. 

While the government says that Tunisia is suffering from a continuous drought that has led to a quota system in water distribution, Saied sees the water cuts as a conspiracy ahead of the presidential election and says the dams are full.

The agriculture ministry says the dam level is highly critical and has reached 25 percent.

Reuters