This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

Tunisian bloggers are outraged over the sacking of Interim Interior Minister Farhat Rajhi today. In a surprise move, he was replaced by Hbib El-Seed.

During the protests that had swept the country from mid December last year, demonstrators chanted “The Interior Ministry is a terrorist ministry.” When Rajhi was named Interior Minister, contempt towards the ministry started to ease. Indeed, during the two months he was acting as the Interior Minister, he managed to gain back the trust of the people with his transparency, his efforts to respond to the demands of the people and his humorous character.

In his first days in office, Rajhi fired 45 corrupt high-level officials. He also responded to two key popular demands – the dissolution of both the RCD, the former ruling party associated with repression and corruption, and the Secret Police. He then helped bring order and stability after the state of anarchy Tunisia was thrown in following the ouster of former Tunisian president Zeine Al Abedine Ben Ali. Despite Rajhi's achievements popularity as an Interior minister, it remains unclear why he was dismissed.

Bloggers Praising Farhat Rajhi:

Bloggers received the news with shock and confusion as the mystery of why Farhat Rajhi was dismissed continues.
Nizar Toumi was very mad at the interim Prime Minister Beji Caed Sebsi for taking the decision to dismiss Rajhi. He writes:

He adds:

و لمّا جاء “هيبة الدّولة” منعه من المبادرة و من الاتّصال بوسائل الإعلام بدعوى أنّ النّاطق باسم الحكومة هو الوحيد المخوّل له الإدلاء بالتّصريحات ، و منع من اتّخاذ أيّ قرار منفردا و وقع إلزامه فقط بتطبيق قرارات الحكومة “هيبة الدّولة” ، ثمّ طُلب منه القبض على ناشطي الفيس بوك … و لم يفعل … فوقعت إقالته ، فرحات الرّاجحي كان بمثابة الجلد بالنّسبة للجسد ، الحاجز الأوّل لحمايته من الجراثيم

Merkhi Souhail says:

Je croyais que le président provisoire n'avait pas le pouvoir de limoger un ministre ! En tout cas c'était ce que j'avais cru lire dans les articles de notre feu constitution.

He adds:

Le profane que je suis ne peut trouver de bonnes raisons pour démettre cet homme simple de discours et qui avait démontré une efficacité jamais vue dans notre gouvernance. Ces deux qualité lui ont valu un grand respect et une popularité qui ferait mourirde jalousie nos politiciens en paille .

Facebookers United with Farhat Rajhi:
On the Facebook page “Tous Unis Avec le Ministre de l'Intérieur Farhat Rajhi” ( All United with the Interior Minister Farhat Rajhi), Sinda Boukhari writes:

tous unis bech nraj3ou Mr farhat rajhi ministre de l'interieur

Before becoming an Interior Minister, Rajhi was a magistrate.Another Facebook page was launched. The page attracted more than 3,000 fans in less than 24 hours and it is called:

كلنا مع رجوع الراجحي كوزير عدل و يا السبسي يزي مالظلم نحن نقرر

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.