Federal Parliament to re-open March 10

President Mohamed Farmaajo will open the second third session of the Federal Parliament March 10, Goobjoog News has learnt.

A source privy to a parliamentary meeting Sunday told Goobjoog News the President will open a joint sitting of the both the Upper and Lower Houses at the Police Academy in Mogadishu.

The Lower House went on recess December 16 while the Upper House extended sittings to close business January 3, 2017.

The lawmakers are making a comeback in what is likely to be a charged session following a number of developments during the recess. Key among them will be revisiting the Berbera Port deal which Somaliland announced last week it granted Ethiopia 19% shareholding. The Federal Government has since dismissed the agreement as unconstitutional.

The recent tag of war between the government and traders over the newly introduced sales tax will be one of the items for immediate debate as both Houses resume business. Trade and Finance Committees demanded the government tables revenue bills by April 30.

The security question will also likely dominate debate in both Houses particularly with regards to the implementation of the National Security Architecture in light of phased exit of Amisom and increased Al-Shabaab attacks in the city.

Lawmakers may also be seeking to press the government on the raid of Senator Abdi Qebydiid’s home in January by security forces and on former presidential candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur late December.