Somalia MPs are wrong

Somalia’s Parliament has voted to extend its tenure and that of President Mohamed Farmaajo for another two years. An emergency assembly of the Lower House on Monday saw some 149 MPs vote in favour, with one abstention. The House has 275 members.

While confirming that democracy is once again taking root in Somalia, the decision is also suspect. President Farmaajo has welcomed the decision as an opportunity to, in his own words, “correct disagreements on the electoral model”. But his leadership needs to tread carefully on this delicate issue.

The federal government in Mogadishu is in place courtesy of the solid support from the international community, and especially from the African Union and the United Nations.

The goal of stabilising Somalia is a joint venture. Many sacrifices have been made by neighbours such as Kenya that have troops in the country under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).

National consensus

It is, therefore, crucial that decisions that could have far-reaching consequences are carefully thought through and executed. The MPs’ argument is that the two years will provide enough time for the country to prepare for universal suffrage, which they have failed to do in four years.

This latest development runs counter to the expectations of the international community and the opposition. President Farmaajo must avoid becoming a stumbling block in efforts to stabilise Somalia.

A lot was expected of him when he came to power in 2017, but he has tended to be more of a divisive figure, failing to build upon the good will of neighbours, especially Kenya. It’s under his watch that diplomatic ties with Nairobi broke down with Mogadishu throwing out diplomats.

Critics have denounced the Somali MPs’ decision as “unconstitutional, null and void”. It is in the interest of all Somalis that the leaders forge a national consensus in pursuit of the entrenchment of democracy in the Horn of Africa nation.