The meeting of the members of the People’s Assembly of the Federal Parliament of Somalia was abruptly called off due to a lack of quorum.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Noor (Madobe), officially announced the cancellation, citing insufficient attendance as the primary reason behind the decision.
The scheduled session, which took place at the Villa Hargeisa headquarters, saw the attendance of a number of Members of the People’s Assembly. However, despite their presence, the necessary quorum was not met, forcing the meeting’s cancellation.
During his address at the meeting, Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Noor (Madobe) expressed his disappointment at the lack of quorum and issued a directive to the absentee Members of Parliament (MPs) who were absent due to work commitments, urging them to prioritize their legislative responsibilities and attend the Assembly headquarters promptly.
“The honorable members who arrived today, we will postpone the meeting because of the lack of a quorum. Our session today is closed, but we hope that the quorum will be met in the coming days,” stated Speaker Adan Madobe.
Observers have voiced their concerns regarding the recurring issue of absenteeism among lawmakers and highlighted the absence of any concrete repercussions for MPs who fail to attend parliamentary sessions.
The absence of a mechanism to hold absentee lawmakers accountable has been identified as a significant contributing factor to this problem. The repeated instances of calling off regular sessions of the People’s Assembly without a quorum have further raised eyebrows within the political landscape.
To address this ongoing issue, Speaker Adan Madobe has taken a proactive stance by instructing the absent MPs, without proper justifications, to attend the upcoming meetings.
In an effort to emphasize the seriousness of the matter, the names of these absentee parliamentarians were publicly read out during the assembly, serving as a reminder of their legislative responsibilities.
The Speaker has also issued warnings to lawmakers who repeatedly fail to attend sessions without valid justifications, assuring that they will face penalties for their persistent absenteeism. By implementing consequences for absenteeism, the Speaker aims to instill a sense of accountability among the Members of Parliament and foster a more dedicated and responsible legislative environment.
