Somali parliament speaker vows to go ahead with impeachment motion

Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 17:39:26|Editor: Liangyu
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MOGADISHU, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of Somali Parliament Mohamed Mursal has vowed to go ahead with a motion seeking to impeach President Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo, saying the motion is valid.

In a letter to the lawmakers, Mursal said the petition to impeach Farmajo is still valid despite the withdrawal of signatures from the petition by 14 lawmakers, a move that was believed to have rendered the motion invalid since it does not meet a constitutional threshold to move the motion in Parliament.

"The motion will proceed as per article 92 sub-article 1 and 2 of the constitution, and article 20 sub-article 2, of the house standing orders," the speaker said, noting that his office received a petition to impeach the president from 92 legislators on Sunday.

He assured the lawmakers that the impeachment procedure will be properly followed through as per the provisional constitution and rules and procedures of the House.

Secretary General of Somalia Parliament Abdikarim Haji Abdi Buh said on Tuesday that 14 out of 92 lawmakers whose signatures appear on the motion deny having signed it.

He said the 14 legislators said they did not support the motion which was filed on Sunday, noting that their signatures had been erroneously included in the petition.

However, the speaker said the motion will be tabled in Parliament.

The motion has sparked political tension in the Horn of Africa country as some lawmakers have started mediation efforts to reconcile the offices of the speaker and the president.

Parliament is also divided between those favoring impeachment motion and those backing president Farmajo.

Reports said the speaker on Thursday moved out of his house in the presidential palace as pressure surges after he accepted the impeachment motion against Farmajo.

The lawmakers accused the president of abusing the oath of office and presidential powers by authorizing the illegal rendition of the leader of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) Muse Qalbi Dhagah from Somalia to Ethiopia.

The motion also accuses Farmajo of signing "secret agreements" with the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea and also of interfering in regional politics and of unprocedural military appointments or abusing military codes.

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