Somalia: Jawari challenges opposition MPs to oust him through the ballot

MOGADISHU, Somalia – The embattled speaker of Somalia’s Lower House Chamber of Parliament, Mohamed Osman Jawari on Sunday announced that the no-confidence motion against him will proceed to the Parliament, Garowe Online reports.

Speaking a press conference in Mogadishu, Jawari has called on the opposition MPs for a vote on the ‘no-confidence motion’ against him within 10 days, adding that if the deadline flops the motion will be nullified as per the provisional constitution.

On the other hand, he has demanded an immediate withdrawal of military police deployed in and around the Parliament building in Mogadishu last Friday and asked the Executive branch to redeploy the regular security forces to the compound.

The Speaker faces a motion of no confidence tabled by more than 100 lawmakers allegedly linked to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia Hassan Ali Khaire last week.

The MPs' move aimed at ousting Jawari has created a new political crisis in the Federal Government which is in office for its first year.

Jawari has denied reports on social media that he is considering to resign ahead of the vote on the motion against him in the Parliament. 

“I am not resigning, I did not come by force, I stay by the ballot and leave by the ballot,” the embattled speaker told the opposition MPs allied to the PM.

Somali Senate has formed Sunday a 7-member committee to mediate the political stalemate and called on the rival MPs within the Lower House to work for the stability of the country and end the differences through peaceful means.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has postponed Sunday an official visit to Qatar due to the deepening political crises engulfing his fragile Government. 

GAROWE ONLINE