Somali president stops impeachment motion against speaker

MOGADISHU, April 1 — Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) on Saturday suspended an impeachment motion against House Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari amid political impasse.
Jawari, who addressed a news conference in Mogadishu, said the move to suspend the motion which was due for debate on Saturday followed a crisis meeting he and his two deputies held on Friday evening with President Farmajo.
“After the talks, the president requested that we stop today’s parliamentary session and also called for talks on the current political tension and we all agreed to that,” said Jawari, who has been accused by lawmakers of violating the constitution.
The president held a crisis meeting with Jawari and his two deputies including chairman of the Senate Abdi Hashi Abdullaahi on Friday evening to forestall a political crisis which has been condemned by international community.
“I have accepted the president’s proposals and we will issue a way forward on the implementation of the issues raised later. We have to work for the stability and interest of the nation,” Jawari added.
The remarks come amid political standoff in Somalia following a dispute between the Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and Jawari which has brought business in the Lower House to a standstill.
Early this month, more than 100 lawmakers tabled a motion of no confidence motion against Jawari accusing him of violating the constitution.
A motion to remove Jawari from office failed on March 15 to garner enough numbers to meet the 92 quorum threshold after 16 lawmakers withdrew their support in the last minute.
The impeachment motion which has been postponed thrice was to be debated on Saturday amid intense lobbying on Friday night over the motion with anti-Jawari lawmakers making efforts seeking to attain more signatories for the vote of no confidence against the speaker.
Jawari, who was re-elected in 2017 for the second term in office, has blamed the prime minister for being behind a motion of no confidence against him and for ordering security forces to occupy Parliament and has vowed to face the motion on the floor of the house if the legal requirements are met.

XINHUA