Somalia: Federal MP accuses Speaker of 'violating constitution' 16 Nov 16, 2012 - 11:14:34 AM
MOGADISHU, Somalia Nov 16, 2012 (Garowe Online) - An MP in Somalia’s Federal Parliament has accused Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari of ‘violating the constitution’ during the confidence vote in favor of a 10-member Cabinet, Garowe Online reports.
MP Abdirahman Hosh Jibril, a former TFG Constitution Minister, told Somali media in Mogadishu that this week’s confidence vote for the Cabinet ministers was a violation.
“The Speaker has hijacked the Federal Parliament, because parliamentary bylaws require that MPs are given at least 24 hours to study a proposed motion before debate and vote, and Speaker Jawari called for a confidence vote immediately as soon as the Prime Minister brought the new Cabinet for parliamentary approval,” said MP Hosh.
The lawmaker was among a group of MPs who warned against approving ‘an incomplete Cabinet’.
On Nov. 13, Somali parliamentarians approved a 10-member Cabinet that is still awaiting the nomination of Deputy Ministers and State Ministers. The new Cabinet includes a woman Foreign Minister, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, the selection did not adhere to the 4.5 clan-based formula used by Somali federal institutions since 2000.
MP Hosh urged that the Somali Federal Constitution be adhered to and added that the parliament vote was “a violation of Article 97 of the Somali Federal Parliament”.
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and the new Cabinet ministers have to tackle chronic insecurity, widespread corruption and work towards reuniting a fragmented nation suffering from 22 years of civil war and anarchy.
