Somali Senate: Its achievements in 2017
The adoption of federalism in Somalia and the achievements of the federal Senate House in the past 12 months was recounted last night in a lengthy way in Mogadishu.
First Deputy Speaker of the Senate Abshir Ahmed Bukhari who addressed an event held for winding up the 2nd sitting of the Upper House highlighted its major accomplishments since its inception a year ago.
First Deputy Speaker Bukhari deeply noted the initiation of federalism in Somalia 13 years ago but officially implemented in the last 6 years and its outcomes included ratifying the interim constitution and establishing regional federal member states.
“December 2016 was the time the senators were elected into the federal Upper House representing the interests of the regional federal member states in the central government, passing the interim federal constitution in 2012 since 1956 and erecting federal member states” Deputy Speaker Bukahri said.
Since the upper house assembly “had 2 sittings with duration of 4 months each having conducted 51 sessions. In the first sittings, they carried out 28 sessions while in the second one, they covered 23 sessions.”
“In the first sitting, the assembly was engaged on its stabilizing itself especially on its house process activities such as electing house council leadership, house operative laws, committees, house slogan among others. All the above achievements have been made successful through the hard work of the interim committee of the house” said the deputy speaker Bukahri.
In the second sitting, “the house achieved multiple crucial articles including governance supervision and passing bills where the different committees were submitting policy bills in the house for decisions”.
The Upper House also implemented resolutions touching on the strengthening federal system such the responsibilities of the senate, intensifying and accelerating the relationship between the two federal houses and the regional member states assemblies.
Federal constitutional review and creation of national policies are some of the visions the house wants to implement in this year
In his conclusion remarks he expressed the core value of the house. “House council is based on the preservation of our state-based federation, the only hope that is now reflected in the reassignment of full government based on democracy and rule of law, aimed at serving the interests of Somali citizens and their prosperity.”
Distinguished guests included Lower House Speaker Mohamed OSman Jawari, chairperson of the High Court Ibrahim Idle Suleiman, governor of Banadir state Thabit Abdi Ahmed, chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission Halima Ismail Ibrahim among others.
Goobjoog News