Somalia: President Sharif announces Supreme Court will decide if candidates will join parliament 26 Aug 26, 2012 - 1:52:23 AM
MOGADISHU, Somalia Aug 26 2012 (Garowe Online) – President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed announced on Saturday that candidates rejected as members of parliament by the selection committee will be judged by Mogadishu’s high court, Garowe Online reports.
President Sharif at a press conference on Saturday night stated that Mogadishu’s high court would be giving the final judgment on candidates rejected by the Technical Selection Committee (TSC).
“After reviewing the process we have decided that candidates rejected as parliamentarians will be put on trial by the Mogadishu high court, because these candidates were part of the government and process,” said Sharif.
He added that the high court has the mandate to officially judge the candidates who were rejected based on criteria.
The move would break the previous agreements in which signatories including President Sharif agreed to the selection of MPs by the TSC.
With the Speaker of Parliament elections set to take place on Tuesday, President Sharif stated that the high court will make a decision on the rejected candidates within 24 hours.
“The court who will make the final decision will hopefully reach a decision within 24 hours,” stated President Sharif.
The former Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Sharif explained that the candidates were not tried previously by any judicial system therefore could not be guilty of the given crimes.
President Sharif also stated that the TSC’s scheduled mandate was drawing to a close and that a fair and just parliamentary selection is what the government desires.
According to local sources, the candidates were not tried because of the former positions in government which granted them immunity.
The TSC were selecting MPs based on criteria of having any relations with any armed groups or militia groups or having a history of, “criminality, violence and intimidation, or who are employing bribery and corruption, and other political spoilers,” read a joint statement by the UN, AU and IGAD.
Former TFG Interior Minister Sheikh Abdiqadir Ali who was also a former Islamic Courts Union (ICU) official was initially rejected as an MP however according to our sources could possibly return as he and other candidates await a trial to reinstate there bid.
Sources close to GO, say that President Sharif is pushing for the rejected candidates to join parliament because of their support for his government and by granting or facilitating them a chance to enter parliament, could mean political allies in the nearing presidential elections.
If the high court does clear the individuals at question whether or not the
TSC will instate the candidates to parliament is still unclear.
The TSC nor the UN, have commented on President Sharif’s statements on Sunday night, as the political process continues setbacks and controversy have been the theme of the end to the transitional government.
GAROWE ONLINE
