Baidoa: after the clan media hype Truth emerges, President has parliment support

[General Duke]

Press release: 95 Somali MPs denounce actions of the Speaker of the House.

 

We, the 95 MPs of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia, who were present at the session of the parliament on 15/12/2008 convey our compliments to all Somalis, the International Community (Governments, International Organizations, the UN, AU, IGAD, Arab League, OIC, EU), and have the pleasure to inform you that no voting took place during the session of the parliament on 15/12/2008 as is clearly shown by the live video footage captured by the independent press who were present on the session.

 

We strongly affirm that the speaker of the parliament, Hon. Sheikh Aden Mohamad Nur (Adan Madobe), has intentionally violated the internal regulations as well the Charter of the TFG in his attempt to usurp the powers vested in the presidency by Articles 46(5), and Article 44(2) of the Charter.

 

The authority to approve members selected as ministers and assistant ministers by the prime minister is vested in the presidency. A cabinet or a minister cannot be put before the parliament for endorsement unless the president assents to and issues an official decree to that effect.

 

Unfortunately, the speaker has in the first place allowed the former Prime Minister, Nur Hassan Hussein, whose term of office has already expired, to address the parliament. The majority of the parliamentarians present on 15/12/2008 have reluctantly tolerated the presence of the former prime minister so as to politely hear his farewell statement.

 

Nevertheless, the former prime minister did not make any request to the parliament regarding either a vote of confidence or approval of cabinet members. Unfortunately, the speaker has in person raised the issue of approving Nur Adde's cabinet members without distributing a motion. Every motion legally requires at least 24 hours for study. After that the motion has to be thoroughly discussed or debated in the parliament. Only then, can a vote on a motion take place.

 

Regrettably, the speaker, without even allowing any MP to second his proposal on the issue of giving approval to cabinet members urged the MPs to give vote. Instantly, the whole parliament exploded with commotion rejecting the naked violation of the internal parliamentary rules and procedures. Whenever there is disorder of such magnitude in the parliament, parliamentary rules instruct that the session must be adjourned until the next scheduled meeting. To intimidate and coerce the MPs into his desired scheme, the speaker poured into the parliament hall an assortment of armed members of the police as well as his own militia who threatened a number of MPs.

 

In the middle of the ensuing confusion the speaker announced the result of a vote casting that has never taken place, and claimed that the cabinet has been endorsed.

 

In response to the speaker's gross misconduct and violation of the Charter as well the internal rules and procedures of the parliament 95 MPs immediately held an extra ordinary meeting to denounce and refute the false and illicit pronouncements made by the speaker.

 

Therefore, we would like to inform the world community that the act of the speaker amount no less than treason against the laws of the country, and are naked violations of the Charter. Consequently all his claims of approval are null and void in accordance to the Charter of the TFG and other laws of the country.

 

Signatories:

[General Duke]

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[General Duke]

audio