Kenya: Somalia MPs Urge UN to Replace Envoy

Kenya: Somalia MPs Urge UN to Replace Envoy

Lucas Barasa-All Africa


Somalia MPs want the United Nations to replace its representative Augustine Mahiga for allegedly failing in his duties.

In a petition to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the MPs said they had found it difficult to work with ambassador Mahiga.

MP Awad Ahmed Ashareh said Friday the petition would be presented to Mr Ban during his visit to Mogadishu.

Others who signed the petition are Sheikh Nooer Ali, Abdulkadir Sheikh Ismail, Madooba Nuuno, Issa Wahaliya and Mohamed Aden Waagelle.

He said the UN office in Somalia under the leadership of the envoy had failed to involve MPs in decision making and to consider Somali traditional politics.

"The people of Somalia have been forcefully placed in a straightjacket and have been saddled with a cumbersome road map without any clear commitment to fund it in a timely manner," the petition said.

The roadmap has four pillars: Reconciliation, security, constitution process and good governance, which have to be addressed effectively while building consensus among Somalis.

The MPs said it was wrong for UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) to support the doubling of Somalia MPs to 550 a size they said is incompatible to the country's population, resources and "unacceptable to a war-torn country".

The legislators said UNPOS jumped over its facilitation role of stakeholders consultative meetings by "ignoring the ownership, authority and the legitimacy of the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions while violating the Transitional Federal Charter by engaging few unlawfully selected participants."

"The Transitional Federal Charter clearly spells out that two or more regions can form a federal state. Contrary, UNPOS recognized, encouraged and cooperated with small entities numbering over 20 and claiming to be regional governments against the articles of the charter," the petition said.

The MPs denied that they are against the roadmap to stability in Somalia and reforms.

They thanked the Kenyan Government for hosting more than 500,000 Somalia refugees, facilitating the reconciliation conference that led to formation of current Somalia institutions and allowing Somali businessmen to venture in the country.

The MPs welcomed Kenya's operation against the Al-Shabaab in Somalia saying the militia had endangered the country's stability and economy.

The legislators, however, said the operation should be led by the Transitional Federal Government forces and follow international rules.

"The fighting of extremists is a global issue which needs consolidated and collective effort from all nations especially the big powers, the Islamic World and countries in horn of Africa. The countries should plan how to fight the extremists who are a threat to peace and stability in whole world," Mr Ashareh said.


He added: "Shabaab is composed of moderates and extremists. We have to rehabilitate and accommodate the moderate ones and fight the extremists."

Mr Ashareh said Kenya should share intelligence with TFG to avoid a misunderstanding among Somalia population of the incoming forces.

"Governments in the Horn of Africa should come together and tackle the issue of Al-Shabaab as one and keep away their different interests," Mr Ashareh said.

Mr Ashareh also said 160 Somalia MPs want the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament removed for failure to respect separation of power, paralysing functions of Parliament, derailing work of parliamentary committees and failing to establish administrative organs of Parliament.