MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The leadership of Somalia’s bicameral parliament announced on Monday that the legislative body will resume sessions on Saturday, following a delay from its originally scheduled reopening date of February 6.
In a statement, the parliamentary leadership urged all MPs to return to the country ahead of the reopening to ensure the continuation of essential services and the completion of pending legislative duties.
The announcement comes amid escalating political tensions, with some MPs threatening to establish a parallel parliament if the prolonged closure persisted. Critics argue that the delay in reopening was strategically orchestrated to avoid addressing a contentious motion to remove Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.
“The motion is on the table, and only one person will lose their job. Let it be anyone it needs to be,” said Somali MP Abdirashid Hidig during an opposition conference earlier this week.
In recent weeks, dozens of MPs have been mobilizing support for the motion, a move that has been met with resistance from both the Speaker of Parliament, Adan Mohamed Nur, and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The political standoff reached a critical point when the Speaker temporarily shuttered parliament after learning that his deputy planned to chair a session aimed at ousting the Prime Minister in a single sitting. This preemptive closure was widely seen as an effort to shield Barre from a swift and unexpected removal.
Despite these maneuvers, the campaign against the Prime Minister shows no signs of abating. A growing number of MPs have joined the push to unseat Barre, with daily additions to the list of signatures supporting the impeachment motion.
However, it remains unclear how the MPs will navigate the strong countercurrents led by Speaker Nur, who has consistently worked to thwart their efforts.
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