Speaker of the House of the People Aden Mohamed Nur (Aadan Madoobe) has announced that the term of office of government institutions has been extended by one year, following the adoption of a new constitution that stipulates that the term of office of government institutions will be five years.
Aadan Madoobe said that the parliament and other government institutions will operate for the period specified in the new constitution, and that the previous interim constitution will not be applied.
‘‘The parliament will operate for the duration specified in the constitution. The parliament will operate for the duration specified in the current constitution, not the interim one, the parliament and the constitutional institutions will operate for the duration specified in the official constitution,’’ said Speaker Aadan Madoobe.
Aadan Madoobe also called on members of parliament who were absent from parliamentary sessions to return to the council meetings, so that the remaining legislative work can be continued during the period specified in the new constitution.
‘‘In the remaining sessions, God willing, we will implement many laws that have not been achieved and many things that are part of government building in the remaining sessions. We are giving some opportunity to the MPs, we are extending the leave so that they can perform their religious duties. The MPs who were suspended are like other MPs… come, these suspensions are over,’’ he added.
However, the move has sparked political controversy, with some opposition members accusing the government of using the constitutional amendment to extend its term.
MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame said that the opposition had previously suspected that the main purpose behind the constitutional amendment was to extend the term by one year. He also criticized the timing of the announcement, noting that the country is facing drought and difficult humanitarian conditions.
