MPs reject mediations, insist on president’s impeachment
-One of the leading legislators pushing the president’s impeachment campaign over corruption allegations has ruled out talks to end the political bickering, calling the president to follow suit to the former Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf who resigned after parliament tried to impeach him in 2008.
More than 93 legislators have lodged the motion with the parliamentary speaker who past the supreme court endorsement would have present the motion to the parliament for vote.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned the campaign, calling the legislators to reflect on the country’s interests and avoid creating a political mayhem which he said could derail ‘progressive’ political and security gains in Somalia.
“The president must make concessions, considering the country’s current situetion,” said Abdullahi Godah Barre, one of the lawmakers who submitted the no confidence motion against the president.
“There’s no way he should think that 200 determined MPs would back down their decisions.” He said.
The legislators have accused the president of corruption; a reason they said led him to lose public confidence and donors’ trust. In the motion letter, they said that donors have discontinued paying subsidy to the government because of corruption by the president.
Responding to the allegations, the president has credited his government with security gains, by ousting militants from key towns and the expansion of the federalism system in many parts of Somalia.
“Somalia has moved forward, and that progress cannot be halted just because obstacles or deceptions by elements who are not working for the interest of the public and the greater Somalia nation.” president Mohamud said.
Somalia’s parliament speaker is yet to comment on the new motion against the president, one of the toughest jobs his office should deal with.
Somalia’s donors often express worries over constant infighting between presidents, prime ministers and parliament, saying the spat could inflame tensions and undermine the country’s recovery from more than two decades of conflict.
