Somalia: House speaker rejects disbanding Finance committee

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The speaker of Somali parliament, Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman has rejected a controversial bid disbanding the Lower House's oversight committee on Finance, Garowe Online reports.

In a statement, the speaker nullified an early decision by his deputy dissolving the Finance, Budget, Planning, and oversight committee last Month, a move that has sparked deadlock in the parliament.

Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey, the first Deputy Speaker justified his decision was reached after having seen a “huge division” that marred the work of the Finance committee.

After returning from Turkey back to Mogadishu, Abdirahman vetoed his deputy's letter and reinstated the committee and urged the Executive branch to accept its work.

He also called for respect for the independence of the House.

The Committee was dissolved after publishing a bombshell report claiming that $42 million including $20 million saved from $50 million donated by Saudi Arabia in 2017 was unaccounted and missing from the 2019 budget.

The report forced finance minister Abdirahman Dualle Beyle to appear before the House last month and explain the disappearance of the money from the budget that is awaiting approval from the parliament.

The House of the People has divided on the report which came after senior Somali government officials were arrested and deputy ministers suspended over corruption allegations this year.

GAROWE ONLINE