Somalia: Somali MPs Slam Parliament Leadership for Delaying 6th Session

6 February 2025
Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

Mogadishu, Somalia — Somali lawmakers are voicing strong objections to the parliamentary leadership's decision to delay the opening of the 6th session of the House, which was set to begin on Thursday, February 6th.

MPs Saadiq Abdullahi Abdi and Mohamed Hassan Mohamed (Murjaan) took to social media to decry the postponement. They accused the parliamentary leadership of acting without justification or formal notice. and claimed the move was orchestrated by the Somali Presidential Palace to reduce parliamentary oversight of the government.

In a post on his Facebook page, MP Abdullahi wrote, "The opening of the 6th session of the Federal Parliament, which was supposed to take place today, February 6th, has been postponed without any explanation or formal apology. This is not the first time the parliamentary leadership has violated constitutional provisions and the country's legal frameworks."

Abdullahi further criticized the Speaker for aligning too closely with the Executive, particularly in decisions about session scheduling and agendas. He argued that this alignment has led to an inactive Parliament, unable to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities, thus compromising legislative independence.

He also accused the parliamentary leadership of corruption, suggesting that they accept bribes from the executive to influence parliamentary activities, thereby undermining the lawmakers' roles.

Echoing these sentiments, MP Murjaan posted on Facebook, "The letter issued by the leadership of the Parliament clearly shows that the opening of Parliament today, February 6th, has been postponed. This is the sixth time that such a decision has been made to prevent the session from opening."

The criticisms highlight a growing discontent among parliament members, concerned about the executive's influence over legislative functions. This comes amid fears that the close ties between the legislative and executive branches could erode the independence of Somalia's Parliament, potentially weakening its capacity to check government actions.

Read the original article on Shabelle.

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