Somalia: Senate's 5th session opens in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The fifth session of the Upper House of Somali Federal Parliament was officially opened on Monday at the capital Mogadishu, after two months of break, Garowe Online reports.

The opening ceremony of the Senate was attended by Somali PM, Hassan Ali Khaire, the head of the supreme court, ministers, speakers of some State parliaments, Mogadishu mayor and other dignitaries.

The premier urged the Federal parliament Houses to fully collaborate so as to boost public interest and unite for defeating Al-Shabaab and lead the country to one person, one vote election by 2020/2021.

The 5th session which is expected to be the busiest session as the members have to cover several tasks that have developed on their recess comes amid fallout between the two houses of the parliament.

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, HE Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo failed to open the session and instead he sent his PM who delivered a speech on the country’s general situation.

In a wide-ranging speech delivered on Thursday at the opening ceremony, Senate speaker Abdi Hashi Abdullahi blamed the leadership of the Lower House for dragging its feet on resolving the standoff.

Abdullahi added that president Farmajo has intervened in the deadlock between the Senate and Lower House by holding meetings with speakers from both sides, however, 'all our efforts were in vain'.

Last January of this year, Somalia’s Upper House of Parliament suspended collaboration with the Lower House, accusing the Chamber of “bypassing” procedural rules on issues of budget and foreign affairs.

Meanwhile, the second sitting of the 5th session of Somali Lower House of People has been postponed again on Monday over lack of quorum as a requirement for parliamentary standing orders.

Despite Al-Shabaab threat, Somalia is on the recovery path after decades of ruin with major countries, the including U.S., UK and Turkey re-established relations with the Horn of Africa country and reopened Embassies in Mogadishu.

GAROWE ONLINE