Nairobi, Kenya, January 21, 2012 – A delegation of Somalia MPs is in Kenya to discuss with the international community the ongoing war against Al-Shabaab.

Led by former Somalia Prime Minister Mohamed Abdiyusuf the delegation arrived in Nairobi on Sunday.

Somalia MP Awad Ahmed Ashareh said the delegation had already met UN representatives and officials from various embassies.

“The delegation brought a message from the new Speaker of Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament explaining to the international community the change of leadership and ongoing war among other things,” Mr Ashareh said in Nairobi.

Mr Ashareh said Mr Abdiyusuf’s team gave a report on the war against the Al-qaeda linked militia and the state of the forces battling them and logistics involved.

The group further deliberated on rules of engagement of foreign forces deployed to Somalia to assist the Transitional Federal Government soldiers’ efforts to stabilize the country.

Also discussed was the plight of Internally Displaced Persons in Somalia and refugees scattered in various parts of world with the MPs saying humanitarian assistance given to them was mismanaged.

Mr Ashareh said the MPs further raised concern with piracy in Somalia waters, illegal fishing and dumping of toxic.

The MP said a majority of his Somalia colleagues want Parliament to move on with its duty ad compensate for the time lost and compensate for the time lost under the leadership of recently ousted Speaker, Sheikh Aden.

The MPs, he said, will review the annual budget of 2011 which was supposed to be submitted to Parliament last June by the General Auditor.

The Somalia government, he added, had also failed to submit to Parliament the annual budget for 2012 as required by November.

“It is quite apparent the government is not operating in a transparent and accountability fashion as it failed to empower the Central Bank, Accountant General and General Auditor work,” Mr Ashareh said.

Mr Ashareh said Somalia’s Parliament will make a schedule for the remaining time of the transition and review agreements recently reached in Garowe, Puntland.

He said Somalia MPs want regional organizations and the international community to respect the sovereignty of Somalia, avoid taking sides in the conflict and continue playing its facilitating role for peace.

He said Mr Abdiyusuf’s delegation will present a report on their visit to Somalia Parliament in Mogadishu on their return.
The UN which is yet to move its office for Somalia from Nairobi to Mogadishu as promised last year has in the past expressed concern over the continuing parliamentary dispute in Mogadishu.
It called on all parties to refrain from violence of any kind and to resolve whatever disagreements they may have through peaceful political dialogue and legal procedures as provided for in the Transitional Federal Charter.

Source: Daily Nation

 

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