From one hotel to another: the story of the somali MPs

[Member-sol-]

GONE for "training"

 

 

Somalia: Over 100 MPs fly to Kenya for training seminar

13 May 13, 2009 - 1:20:55 PM

 

 

 

MOGADISHU, Somalia May 13 (Garowe Online) - More than 100 Somali lawmakers flew from the national capital Mogadishu on Wednesday to participate at a planned training seminar being held in neighboring Kenya, Radio Garowe reports.

 

International organizations are expected to host the training in Nairobi, where members of the Somali Parliament, which includes some 275 new lawmakers, will be taught about parliamentary conduct, activities and good governance.

 

A special plane arrived at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport to transport the lawmakers to Nairobi, officials said.

 

Parliament Speaker Sheikh Aden "Madobe" Mohamed remained in Mogadishu, but sources close to him said he is expected to fly to Nairobi next week.

 

Some 160 Somali MPs have been in Nairobi since the Somali Parliament was expanded in January to accommodate lawmakers from an Islamist-led opposition group that joined the government under a U.N.-brokered peace deal, sources added.

 

The timing of the lawmakers' trip to Kenya comes as Islamist rebels, led by Al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, have intensified the armed campaign against the interim Somali government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, former leader of the Islamic Courts movement.

 

Islamist fighters have captured most districts in Mogadishu and are slowly inching closer to the Villa Somalia presidential compound, where pro-government Islamist militia and African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM) stand guard.

 

A parliament source confidentially told Garowe Online that the trip to Kenya was scheduled, but noted that the date of the trip was "sped up due to security concerns."

 

The temporary parliament building in Mogadishu has come under attack and lawmakers postponed a parliament session citing security concerns last month.

 

Somalia has lacked an effective national government since 1991, when clan militia overthrew a military ruler and the Horn of Africa plunged into chaos.

 

President Sheikh Sharif's government is the 15th attempt to restore order by the international community.

 

Source: Garowe Online