Somali parliament speaker departs for Algeria as tensions grip parliament
The Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, widely known as Adan Madobe, departed Mogadishu on Thursday for an official visit to Algeria amid escalating tensions in the federal parliament.
Madobe, accompanied by a parliamentary delegation, left Aden Adde International Airport bound for Algiers, where he is set to attend the upcoming Conference of Arab Parliamentary Speakers.
The annual conference, hosted in Algiers, is expected to address pressing issues affecting the Arab world, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people.
His departure comes at a turbulent time for Somalia’s lower house. Madobe is facing mounting political backlash after a motion of no confidence was filed by several lawmakers, accusing him of violating parliamentary procedures and overstepping his authority.
The controversy began when Madobe suspended opposition MP Dr Abdullahi Hashi Abib over absenteeism. He later reversed the decision after more than 100 MPs challenged its legality and tabled a no-confidence motion, arguing that the Speaker lacked the constitutional mandate to unilaterally remove a sitting MP.
Following a series of postponed sessions, parliament reconvened on Wednesday. However, proceedings quickly descended into chaos, with physical scuffles breaking out, raising concerns over security and parliamentary order.
In response, Madobe issued a directive on Thursday night barring 20 MPs from attending future sittings, citing unspecified “security concerns.” The move provoked fresh criticism from lawmakers who accused the Speaker of worsening the crisis.
Meanwhile, members of parliament released a joint statement condemning actions by security personnel at the parliament building. They accused them of obstructing journalists from independent media outlets and claimed the Speaker had ordered guards to bar reporters and prevent dissenting MPs from speaking to the press.
The turmoil also drew condemnation from senior opposition figures. Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and MP Abdirahman Abdishakur issued a joint letter describing Wednesday’s events as a “violent assault” carried out by state forces inside the Federal Parliament.
Madobe, who has previously faced criticism from opposition MPs, has long been accused of eroding parliamentary independence and aligning closely with the executive branch.
