The visiting MPs Vow To Take the case of Somaliland’s Recognition To the Kenyan Parliament

Paul Muite, leader of the Kenyan delegation (centre) while addressing a joint session of the two houses of Somaliland parliament on Thursday

The Kenyan delegation fact finding mission addressing a joint session of the two houses of Somaliland parliament on Thursday

Hargeysa, Somaliland, December 23, 2006 (SL Times) – Members of a Kenyan parliamentary delegation which arrived in Hargeysa on Wednesday in a fact-finding mission are now fully convinced that Somaliland is qualified to be recognized as a sovereign country by countries in the region and the international community at large.

Led by veteran MP Paul Muite, the five member delegation was given a heroic welcome on arrival and has since held a series of extensive discussions with country’s political, traditional and civic leaders.

The Kenyan MPs met with Somaliland president Dahir Rayale Kahin and held talks with leaders of the parliament and political parties.

On Thursday morning the visitors were in the Somaliland House of Elders (Guurti)where MP Muite was given a rare opportunity to address a joint session of Parliament and the House of Elders. The panel also dismissed claims that recognition of Somaliland would violate the inadmissibility of changing colonial boundaries as called for in the African Union’s charter.

On Friday the delegation visited the port city of Berbera as well as Sheikh district.

Mr. Muite a lawyer himself said since Somaliland reverted to the colonial boundaries that it inherited from the British rule, the inviolability of the frontiers was not applicable to the case of Somaliland.

The Kenyan MPs included Mr. Oloo Aringo (Narc), Mr. Mauka Maore (Kanu), Mr. Patrice Ivuti (Ford-A) and Aldai’s Jimmy Choge (Kanu). The delegation was accompanied by former Mandera MP Aden Abdillahi, Professor David Anyoti and Abdirahman M. Ismail, a Kenyan who works for Neppad.

The parliamentary mission is expected to raise a report on their findings to the Kenyan legislature. They also plan to present a motion in the Kenyan parliament calling on the Kenyan government to fully recognize the republic of Somaliland as a sovereign country.

The Kenyan MPs are expected to wind up their visit today and leave for Nairobi this afternoon via Addis Ababa.

Source: Somaliland Times

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