Members of Parliament who were recently turned back while attempting to travel to Garowe have now been allowed to return to their regions, according to one of the lawmakers who spoke to Shabelle TV while at Aden Adde International Airport.
The MPs, drawn from both chambers of the Federal Parliament of Somalia and representing Puntland, had been staying at the Airport Hotel Mogadishu for several days after claiming they were prevented from leaving the capital.
The lawmakers alleged that they were not permitted to travel until the Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia was approved. The constitutional amendments were passed on Wednesday by a majority vote of MPs from both houses of parliament.
The decision to allow the MPs to depart is being seen as a step toward easing tensions between the federal government and Puntland authorities. It also signals a move to safeguard the rights of lawmakers to represent and engage with the communities that elected them.
The development follows days of political friction linked to the constitutional amendment process, which has drawn criticism from some leaders and legislators from Puntland who argue that the process lacked sufficient consultation and consensus.
