A Somali Federal MP Sees Conflict of Interest in “Term Extension” Motion

[Deeq A.]

Abdirahman Odowaa:” Either we as MPs need not be affected directly by the motion we are going to discuss to be able to look at it objectively or we should leave discussions to the bicameral committee tasked with discussing proposed amendments to the Draft Constitution.”

Mogadishu (PP News) — Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein (Odowaa), a Somali MP, and one-time ally of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, yesterday expressed dismay over efforts to submit a bicameral motion on making amendments to the Draft Constitution to expedite controversial resolutions passed by the National Consultative Council.

“The motion submitted to the Lower House has a major flaw. We are involved in it in the sense that it is about term extension for the legislature. It is a conflict of interest. Either we as MPs need not be affected directly by the motion we are going to discuss to be able to look at it objectively or we should leave discussions to the bicameral committee tasked with discussing proposed amendments to the Draft Constitution” said Abdirahman.

The legislative hurdle to which the MP has drawn attention has proved a formidable setback for President Mohamud who celebrated his first anniversary in office since his election as President on 15 May 2022.

Mohamed Hassan Haad:”President Mohamud will have cut his four year term short if he presses on with the proposed unconstitutional term extension.”

Last week, members of the National Consultative Council proposed sweeping changes to the system of government ranging from the elimination of the Office of the Prime Minister to introduce a presidential system modelled on the pre-1991 military regime’s first fifteen years of reign to term extension for the executive and legislative branches.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hassan Haad, a traditional leader. urged MPs not to vote on any motion on term extension for the President or the bicameral legislature. “President Mohamud will have cut his four year term short if he presses on with the proposed unconstitutional term extension” said Haad.

© Puntland Post, 2023

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