VZCZCXRO9072
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1638/01 2101002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291002Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0544
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001638 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S CARSON 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI PINR SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - President Address Parliament; Five Legislators 
Expelled 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On July 27, the Transitional Federal Parliament 
re-convened for the first time since fighting broke out in Mogadishu 
at the beginning of May.  TFG President Sharif addressed the 
legislative body in the Banadir region administrative headquarters 
in Mogadishu.  Sharif stressed that despite their best efforts, 
anti-government groups have failed to overthrow his government and 
that the TFG has made notable political and military progress.  He 
praised Somalia's armed forces for their commitment and Ahlu Sunna 
Wal Jama'a (ASWJ) for its fight against al-Shabaab in the central 
regions.  During the session, the legislators voted to dismiss five 
MPs for absenteeism and "anti-national" behavior in violation of the 
Transitional Federal Charter.  Another forty-nine MPs have been put 
on notice that they must return to Mogadishu within twenty days or 
be dismissed, as well. After President Sharif's departure, but while 
Parliament was still in session, several mortars were fired at the 
meeting location.  No injuries were reported.  End summary. 
 
---------------------- 
Parliament Re-Convenes 
in New Headquarters 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 27, 301 of the estimated 350 TFG parliamentarians 
in Mogadishu re-convened for the first time since fighting broke out 
in Mogadishu at the beginning of May.  The body met at the Banadir 
region administration headquarters in the Hamar-weyne district of 
Mogadishu.  (From February to May, Parliament had met in the police 
transport headquarters in Abdiaziz district, which subsequently came 
under fire several times by anti-government groups.  The Speaker 
told the media that the venue was changed because the police 
headquarters was old and lacked basic amenities, and not because of 
security concerns.) 
 
------------------- 
President Sharif 
Addresses Lawmakers 
------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) During the session, TFG President Sheikh Sharif addressed 
the MPs, telling them that anti-government groups have failed to 
overthrow the government despite their best efforts.  He listed the 
TFG's notable political and military achievements.  He praised 
Somalia's armed forces for their commitment and Ahlu Sunna Wal 
Jama'a (ASWJ) for its fight against al-Shabaab in the central 
regions.  Sharif also lauded AMISOM's efforts and said that an 
additional four thousand troops will be arriving soon from Uganda, 
Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Sharif left Parliament soon after finishing his speech. 
Shortly thereafter, several mortars were fired at the parliament 
building, causing the MPs to disperse.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-------------------------- 
Speaker Dismisses Five MPs 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) During the session, the Parliament, chaired by Speaker Adan 
Mohammed Nur "Madobe," resolved to dismiss five of its deputies. 
"Madobe" said the dismissed members had violated the federal 
parliament's regulations and the Transitional Federal Charter.  (In 
a subsequent interview, "Madobe" said that those dismissed had 
failed to attend consecutive sessions of Parliament for more than 
four months.  He also implied that some of the MPs had violated the 
Charter by engaging in "anti-national" behavior.)  Media reports 
indicate that "Madobe" stated, "These honorable members of 
Parliament have broken the laws of the federal government and we 
have decided to dismiss them, bearing in mind the current situation 
of the country and how they have been behaving."  Some critics 
subsequently alleged that "Madobe" had singled out only those MPs 
who had publicly criticized him, and that many other absent MPs 
remained in office. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The dismissed Members of Parliament are: 
 
-- Ismail Hurreh "Bubah" (Isaak):  former Minister of Foreign 
Affairs under former Prime Minister Gedi; 
 
-- Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed "Madobe" (Ogaden):  the former Islamic 
Court administration official in Kismaayo who has now joined Hisbul 
Islam; 
 
-- Ali Bashi Haji Mohamud (Darod/Dublahante):  a long-time active 
 
NAIROBI 00001638  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
MP; 
 
-- Ahmed Abdullahi Jama (Isaak); 
 
-- Abdallah Haji Ali (Isaak):  both Jama and Ali resigned on July 18 
and returned to Somaliland.  (Note: When Ali, a former Mayor of 
Berbera, returned to Somaliland on July 18, he was briefly detained 
by the Somaliland authorities for his activities in the TFG.). 
 
----------------- 
Forty-Nine Others 
Warned 
----------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) In addition to those who were dismissed, forty-nine other 
MPs, including former Prime Ministers Ali Gedi and Hassan Abshire, 
have been cited for absenteeism.  The parliament secretary has 
reportedly issued warning letters to them and asked them to come to 
Mogadishu within twenty days or risk being expelled. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya, Mohammed Nur "Americo," who 
returned from several days in Mogadishu on July 28, told Somalia 
Unit July 29 that Prime Minister Sharmarke, President Sharif, and 
Speaker "Madobe" have agreed to issue a letter over their signature 
that would request that the Government of Kenya revoke the visas of 
those MPs resident in Nairobi from among the list of forty-nine. 
"Americo" said he would present the letter, once received, to GOK 
Foreign Minister Wetangula.  (Note:  it is unlikely that the GOK 
would act energetically to remove the targeted MPs from Kenya.) 
 
¶9. (SBU) In an interview following the July 27 session of 
Parliament, Speaker "Madobe" defended the decision to unseat the 
five MPs as having been taken in conformance with the Transitional 
Federal Charter. (Note:  According to the Charter, if an MP is not 
present for four consecutive months of parliamentary sessions, s/he 
can be forced to relinquish his/her seat.)  "Madobe" singled out 
former Foreign Minister "Bubah" for never having attended a session 
of Parliament and for having engaged in anti-national behavior. 
Former Prime Minister Ali Gedi, "Madobe" noted, had not attended a 
session since having ceased to be Prime Minister in November 2007. 
(Note:  Gedi, and a group of MPs allied with him, have lobbied to 
have the Parliament re-locate to the safer precincts of Garowe 
(Puntland) or Hargeisa (Somaliland) Unlike "Bubah," who was 
expelled, Gedi was only warned by Parliament.) 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The expulsion of five MPs, and the warning issued to the 
forty-nine others, follows the TFG's decision to stop paying the 
salaries of MPs who have not been in Mogadishu for sessions of 
Parliament.  In his interview, "Madobe" brushed aside suggestions 
that the MPs could not remain in Mogadishu because of the danger, 
noting that "it is not fair that some (MPs) stay in the country to 
share the difficulties and problems with their people while others 
continue to spread propaganda against their government (from outside 
Somalia)."  The TFG leadership's decision to oust or put on notice 
constant critics like "Bubah," Gedi, and Abshire reflects a growing 
impatience both with absenteeism and with those attempting to 
undermine an already weak government from within.  Unfortunately, 
the decision does not seem even-handed, as many other MPs have also 
not attended sessions of Parliament for four months, and yet were 
not sanctioned.  "Madobe's" implication in the interview that an MP 
can lose his seat for calling into question the unity of Somalia 
does not seem to be borne out by a reading of the Transitional 
Federal Charter.  There are signs as well that President Sharif 
(septel) is becoming increasingly impatient with TFG cabinet members 
who are behaving like some of their counterparts in the Parliament. 
RANNEBERGER