Opposition politicians who have held various positions in Somalia, such as former President Sheikh Sharif, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre and MP Abdirahman Abdi Shakur, have strongly condemned the offensive remarks made by Speaker Aden Madoobe about the House of the People.
In a joint press release, these leaders strongly condemned the violent acts committed by some government ministers and police officers guarding the Parliament, who openly attacked MPs and journalists from independent media outlets.
“These acts of intimidation and violence directly violate the immunity of MPs, freedom of the press, the reputation and dignity of the state,” the statement issued by these politicians said.
They revealed that they have repeatedly warned the Speaker about his behavior, which they said includes political kidnapping, constant harassment, and illegal humiliation of the House, yet it appears that he is still not ready to desist from these actions that damage the honor and integrity of the House.
“The insulting remarks made by the Speaker of the House of the People have highlighted the great discrepancy between the position he holds and the responsibilities expected of him. It is worth noting that Sheikh Aden Madoobe was previously removed from the position of Speaker in 2011, due to actions similar to those he is now accused of.” The press release said.
On the other hand, former Prime Minister of Somalia Mohamed Hussein Rooble said that the chaos that occurred in the House of the People, the highest institution in the country, was very regrettable, and that this behavior is demoralizing the people and paints a bad picture of our government.
“I condemn the assault on Members of Parliament, which is a violation of the immunity of Members of Parliament, and it is also shocking that the Speaker of Parliament uses discriminatory words, which are beyond our religion and good culture,” Rooble said in a statement.
