Tuesday October 1, 2024
FILE - Somali legislators of the lower house of parliament take a vote, in Mogadishu, Somalia, April 12, 2021.
Mogadishu (HOL) — The wheels in the turbulent and often convoluted world of Somali politics are turning again as Parliament seeks to remove a senior government official from office. The target is Foreign Minister Ahmed Macalin Fiqi, a man under fire for his handling of diplomatic matters.
The framework for removing a government minister in Somalia is anchored in Article 69 of the Somali Constitution, which grants Parliament the authority to hold ministers accountable. This article has been a power invoked numerous times in the country's post-civil war political landscape. But how exactly does this process unfold, and what implications does it have for Somalia's fragile political system?
The procedure begins with the submission of a formal motion by a group of MPs, a step that sparks debate within Somalia's Parliament.
In the case of Foreign Minister Ahmed Macalin Fiqi, over 46 MPs have come together to put forward such a motion, accusing him of failing to defend Somalia's sovereignty in a critical diplomatic row with neighbouring Ethiopia. The disgruntled Lawmakers are also upset about the exclusion of a Somali company from the upcoming 2025 Japan trade expo, an event that saw an Italian-owned company granted participation instead.
MP Jeesoow, one of the most vocal supporters of the motion, insists that the push to remove Fiqi is rooted in performance, not politics. "This is about accountability and safeguarding national interests," he says, brushing off rumours that political rivalries are behind the move.
Once the motion is submitted, it triggers a sequence of events that start with formal debate. During this debate, the MPs who filed the motion present their case, outlining specific reasons for wanting to dismiss the minister. These can include accusations of incompetence, failure to fulfill duties, or even mishandling critical government functions.
The accused minister is then granted the chance to defend themselves, responding to the accusations levelled against them. If the minister's defence fails to satisfy Parliament, the process moves towards a no-confidence vote—a critical juncture in the political fate of any minister.
For the no-confidence vote to be valid, at least 139 MPs must be present. A simple majority of 50% plus one is required to officially oust the minister from office. This threshold is both a safeguard and a potential political quagmire, as securing the necessary votes can be a formidable task, especially in a political landscape as fragmented as Somalia's, adding a layer of tension and uncertainty to the process.
Somalia's Parliament has a history of ousting leaders through no-confidence votes. Notable removals include Prime Ministers Ali Khalif Galayr in 2001, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke in 2010, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed in 2014, and Nur Hassan Hussein in 2008. Each leader faced challenges such as political disputes with the president, failure to address security concerns, or struggles in managing key national issues.
The 2020 removal of Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire provides a recent example of how Somalia's Parliament exercises its power to oust high-ranking officials. Khaire, who had served as prime minister since 2017, was removed by a vote of no confidence by a vote of 170 to 8.