MPs rescind decision to extend President Farmaajo’s term
AFRICA
Somalia s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed arrives for the swearing-in ceremony of Cyril Ramaphosa at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa in May 2019. [File]
Somalia s lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a divisive two-year presidential term extension it approved last month, a move that might help end an armed stand-off in the capital Mogadishu.
The crisis over the term extension has raised fears that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents could exploit the situation. Militants from al Shabaab took over at least one Somali town in the past week, as heavily armed fighters moved from the countryside into the capital city.
Somali lawmakers voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a two-year presidential term extension they had approved last month, after clashes in the capital Mogadishu between factions of the security f…
By Reuters Staff
5 Min Read
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali lawmakers voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a two-year presidential term extension they had approved last month, after clashes in the capital Mogadishu between factions of the security forces, which are divided over the issue.
Somalia s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed addresses the lower house of Parliament in Mogadishu, Somalia May 1, 2021. REUTERS/Feisal Omar
In a speech following the vote in the lower house of parliament, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble ordered the army to return to barracks and urged politicians to avoid inciting violence.
The political crisis has raised fears that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents could exploit a security vacuum if state forces split along clan lines and turn on each other. The group has taken over at least one Somali town in the past week as heavily armed fighters moved from the countryside into the capital city.
THE STANDARD
AFRICA
By Reuters | May 1st 2021
Somalia s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed arrives for the swearing-in ceremony of Cyril Ramaphosa at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa in May 2019. [File]
Somalia s lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a divisive two-year presidential term extension it approved last month, a move that might help end an armed stand-off in the capital Mogadishu.
The crisis over the term extension has raised fears that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents could exploit the situation. Militants from al Shabaab took over at least one Somali town in the past week, as heavily armed fighters moved from the countryside into the capital city.
MOGADISHU Somali lawmakers voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a two-year presidential term extension they had approved last month, after clashes in the…