Somalia: Senate calls on President to intervene in the ongoing political crisis

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A Senate committee formed to mediate between PM Hassan Ali Khaire and the Lower House Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari rift held a press conference in Mogadishu on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.

The 7-member committee which was established on 17th March to find an amicable solution to the ongoing political crisis resulted from the no-confidence motion against speaker Jawari has released its first statement on the findings of mediation meetings

Somali Senators mediating political crisis said they met separately the rival MPs, house Speaker Jawari, and Deputy Speakers Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey and Mahad Awad as well as the PM Khaire and discussed on ways to end the standoff.

Senator Mohamud Ahmed “Mashruc”, one of the committee said Jawari accepted the legitimacy of the motion against him and assured that he is ready for solving the current crisis in accordance with the Constitution and the Parliamentary standing orders.

The committee has recommended for immediate removal of the military Police recently deployed at the Parliament building and re-deploy the regular officers and restore the situation of the parliament to pre-political conflict status.

The MP promised that he will work on how to reinstate the previous security guards of the Parliament compound and that he will contact the Police Commissioner on the matter ahead of the vote on the motion against the house speaker.

The Committee also met Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi and asked him to intervene in the ongoing political crisis that has sharply divided the MPs of the Parliament, some defending the speaker while the rest allied to the PM are against him.

President Farmajo was scheduled to leave for Doha Qatar last Sunday but postponed the trip to mediate the current political stalemate pitting Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and Speaker of the Lower House Mohamed Osman Jawari.

'MPs abroad instructed to return home'

The first deputy of the Lower House speaker, Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey has ordered Wednesday all MPs out of the country to cancel their vacation and return to Mogadishu to participate in the voting of the tabled motion against Jawari.

"I instruct all Lower House MPs in and abroad to revoke their holidays and return back to Mogadishu in order to fulfill their constitutional obligations on the existing crisis," said Mudey while speaking the reporters in Mogadishu.

The vote is expected to take place next Saturday. The MPs said to be affiliated to the PM accused Jawari of violating the constitution and being an impediment to Parliament procedures.

The opposition lawmakers have to secure the two-thirds of Parliament-members [184 votes] needed to oust Speaker, according to the country's provisional constitutional. 

The impeachment against Speaker has thrown the Horn of Africa country into a new political turmoil and affected the work of the government as several Ministers and deputy ministers who are also legislators have signed the motion to oust Jawari.

GAROWE ONLINE