Previous Instance of Fighting in Parliament
Somali lawmakers fought each other during a parliamentary session in Mogadishu today. Hundreds of parliamentarians gathered today to listen to prospective candidates for House Speaker, following the disputed ousting of Sharif Hassan Aden from the post.
Just before the candidates were due to address the MPs, another group of opponent lawmakers loyal to Mr. Hassan stormed the venue, forcefully entering the hall and delivering blows to their opponents. They had come to rip up the document signed by those MPs who voted to oust Sharif Hassan Aden.
“We came here today to see the prospective candidates for Speaker, but supporters of the ousted man forcibly entered the hall. They took the signed papers and ripped them up, and then a fight broke out between these men and the already assembled MPs. People sustained cuts and bites, chairs were thrown and mobile phones knocked out of peoples' hands."
Sharif Hassan Aden, the disputed Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) did not attend the meeting. Lawmakers are divided in their decision over whether the vote to dismiss him was lawful.
A member of the group loyal to Sharif Hassan Aden told Somalia Report that the meeting was held illegally held by a group of men who are only representing themselves. He said that they are afraid that they will lose their positions in parliament if plans to reduce the number of MPs go forward.
“They are breaking the national constitution of the Somali government. How can they meet without the presence of the Speaker? Parliament has a law and order and we must respect that."
This is not the first time that physical fights have broken out in the TFP, and as it becomes increasingly divided, instances like these could occur even more frequently.
The incident has come at an inopportune time for the president of the TFG. Just this morning President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed urged members of the TFG to overcome any differences for the good of the country, and confirmed his support for the ousted Speaker.
