PM Hamza: We shall reform Somalia's judicial system

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The federal government of Somalia shall focus on revamping the ailing judicial system for expeditious access to justice, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has said while revealing a raft of reforms that will be implemented to actualize the plan, which has dragged on for many years.

Somalia's judiciary is often under criticism for lacking independence, with the judicial services always a suspect among members of the community, who prefer military courts for prosecutions. In the recent past, military courts have been the avenue for justice in the country.

Federalization of the judiciary, he said, is among several options the country is exploring to promote transparency, accountability, and religion in the federal government of Somalia. For the country to make meaningful progress, PM Barre added, reforming the judiciary is no longer an option.

“In order to have a competent justice system and an independent judiciary in the country, a number of measures have been put in place including; a reform of the courts, employment of experienced judges, and the abolition of fees,” the PM said.

Prime Minister Barre explained the various stages of the Transitional Constitution saying the government was committed to completing the necessary amendments. In most cases, the federal government of Somalia has been relying on military courts for the prosecution of criminal and civil cases.

For the last three decades, Somalia has been operating without critical infrastructure in different sectors, not just courts but also in the education and health sectors. A recent report showed that Somalia is one of the most corrupt nations on earth, with many cases going on without proper prosecution.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has insisted that he will focus on basics such as improvement of security, judiciary, health, and other dilapidated sectors as he struggles to revive other state departments. Access to judicial services, analysts say, will further bring people's confidence in the government.

Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants have been taking advantage of a skewed judicial system in the country to serve the people in the name of administering justice, compromising thousands of them in the process. A number of locals still believe in Al-Shabaab courts for conflict resolution.

GAROWE ONLINE