President Mohamud says Parliament will have final say on NCC proposals

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has assured the country that the recent political agreements reached by the National Consultative Council will need to be ratified by parliament following sharp criticism that some of the proposals were offensive to democracy.

Speaking at the opening of the third session of the Federal Parliament, President Mohamud said the country was governed by the rule of law and ‘not political agreements.’

“I confirm that a political agreement, law and constitutional changes that have not been passed by the Parliament of the country, is not a law and they cannot work in the country. The country is governed by law and order,” the President said.

The remarks followed sharp criticism from different sectors of the society among them politicians, analysts and Somalis online. Former presidential contenders in the 2022 race led by former President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed faulted the NCC and the President noting the proposals were ‘unconstitutional’ and that there was a need for ‘wider consultations.’

Critics of the proposals said the decision by the NCC was ‘undemocratic’ and needed the input of the public. They cited the proposal to have only two political parties as akin to the one-party system during the military period.

The NCC also proposed the scrapping of the post of Prime Minister effectively moving the country from parliamentary to presidential system. The NCC also proposed a common date of November 2024 for elections of all Federal Member State presidents.