Scuffles in Somalia parliament as new cabinet announced

Gulf Today Report

The Somali parliament granted confidence to the new “national interest” government headed by Hamza Abdi Berri, by an overwhelming majority, while a terrorist car bomb exploded in the city of Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle state in the south of the country.

The parliament session was attended by 237 deputies out of 275, who are all members of the legislature.

The 229 deputies voted in favour of granting confidence to the government, and 7 deputies refused to vote for it, with one vote invalid, according to what was announced by Parliament Speaker Sheikh Adam Muhammad Nour.

The session was attended by Prime Minister Berri and the new members of the government, and he was unable to deliver a speech as scheduled, after some deputies provoked riots in the session.

Some deputies submitted a proposal requesting that the vote be held in secret, but the Speaker rejected this, describing the proposal as illegal.

Shortly after the granting of confidence, members of the new Somali government took the constitutional oath in the parliament hall in front of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Bashi Yusuf Ahmed.

The new government includes 75 members, including a deputy prime minister, 25 ministers and their deputies, in addition to 24 ministers of state.

The new Somali government is awaiting files, including achieving reconciliation with the inside and outside, strengthening security, dealing with the drought crisis, strengthening relations with the federal states, completing the constitution, and holding direct elections in the next due in 2026.

President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud appointed Berri as prime minister on June 15, and presented his government formation on August 2, which he called the “government of national interest.”

On the other hand, a terrorist detonated a car bomb, on Sunday, in the city of Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle State in southern Somalia.

According to Somali media, the incident was caused by a car loaded with explosives while it was being searched by the security forces.

The authorities said that at least 5 people were injured in the bombing, which took place in the city center near a hotel targeted by a terrorist bombing last month.

Somali authorities did not immediately comment at the federal and regional levels, but such bombings are often carried out by the terrorist group Al Shabaab.