Motion to impeach Somali President Farmajo declared invalid

The Somali Lower House of Parliament has declared as invalid a motion seeking the impeachment of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

The House Administrative Director, Mr Abdikarim Haji Abdi Buuh, on Tuesday issued the letter that could offer the besieged president a lifeline.

THRESHOLD

The letter, published by the mainstream and social media, is addressed to the Speaker of the Lower House, Mr Mohamed Mursal, and copied to his deputes, Mr Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey and Mahad Abdalla Awad.

It states that the motion submitted to the Speaker on December 9, by 92 legislators, did not meet the signatories threshold.

The document adds that some 14 MPs said to back it sent letters to Parliament’s Administration Office, stating that their names were wrongly put in the list as they did not append their signatures.

“I have seen letters sent to the office by 14 MPs, stating they did not endorse the motion,” reads the letter to the Speaker.

“They insist that their names and signatures were forged.”

SHORTFALL

Mr Buh stated that if the 14 were deducted from the original 92 parliamentarians said to have endorsed the motion, 78 would remain, falling short of the minimum requirement.

“Therefore, they are short of the 92 signatories to keep the motion valid as the provisional constitution requires 1/3 of the total MPs of 275 to unequivocally endorse a motion,” concluded the letter sent by Mr Buh.

In March, a motion was submitted against former Speaker Prof Mohamed Osman Jawari.

It was first said that it was rendered invalid by a number of MPs who changed their positions.

Others contested that once submitted, the lawmakers could not revoke their earlier endorsement.

However, after a bitter argument over the validity of the motion, Prof Jawari resigned, paving the way for the election of Mr Mursal.