Postby Somalian_Boqor » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:59 pm
DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti Jan 27 (Garowe Online) - Lawmakers in Somalia's transitional federal government (TFG) overwhelmingly approved a motion to expand the country's parliament, Radio Garowe reports.
Some 220 MPs in Djibouti voted on the motion, which was approved by 211 MPs, 6 MPs rejected the vote and the remaining lawmakers abstained.
Sheikh Adan "Madobe" Mohamed, the Speaker of parliament and the acting president, announced the vote results and expressed disappointment that the vote was taking place outside Somalia.
Presidential election
Speaker Madobe also announced vote results regarding a second motion, which intended to extend the presidential election date by an additional five days.
"The election will happen on February 2, 2009, as voted by members of the Somali parliament," the Speaker said.
At least 16 presidential candidates are competing to replace ex-President Abdullahi Yusuf, who resigned last month.
Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, chairman of the ARS opposition faction, is one of the leading contenders for the Somali presidency.
His closest challengers include a list of remarkable characters: current TFG Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein; ex-PM Ali Mohamed Gedi; ex-PM Hassan Abshir; ex-PM Ali Khalif Galayr; ex-Interior Minister Mohamed Mohamud "Gamodheere"; ex-Mogadishu warlord Mohamed Qanyare; and ex-Kismayo warlord Gen. Mohamed Hersi "Morgan."
On Tuesday, a private plane left Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport to Djibouti, transporting 55 lawmakers who will be part of Somalia' s newly expanded parliament, sources said.
Baidoa falls
The town of Baidoa has been the TFG stronghold since early 2006, when the town became home to the TFG parliament.
Fighters loyal to the Islamist Al Shabaab faction easily gained control of Baidoa a day after Ethiopian troops left the town.
Al Shabaab and other Islamist hardliners have rejected the Djibouti peace process, vowing to continue the war until Somalia is under Islamic rule.
The fall of Baidoa marks a turning point for Somali Islamists, who seized the town for the first time since the Islamic Courts rose to power more than two years ago.
In Puntland, a self-governing region in the country's north, regional President Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole" has threatened not to recognize the Djibouti peace process unless Puntland is allowed to appoint delegates to the expanded parliament.
It is not clear what outcome can be expected from Djibouti, but rival factions on the ground in Somalia are already gearing up for a war against any new government.
Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, has been mired in armed conflict for nearly two decades, leading to Africa's worst humanitarian crisis.