Transitional Federal Parliament
Encyclopedia
The Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic is an interim Parliament
of Somalia
formed in neighboring Kenya
in 2004.
The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali diaspora.
s, with each of Somalia's four major clans
getting 61 seats in the parliament, while an alliance of minority clans was awarded 31 seats. The Charter also dictates that at least 12% of the Parliament shall be women (Article 29).
The composition was changed as part of the meeting to elect a new president
in late January 2009; the size of the parliament was doubled to include 200 representatives from the Islamist opposition and 75 reprentatives of citizens' groups and diaspora representatives.
One of the formal de jure
powers vested in the Parliament according to the Transitional Federal Charter (Article 5) is the governance and administration of Mogadishu
as the capital city. However, in actuality this power de facto
lies in the hands of particular warlords, many of whom are also members of parliament. De facto the state is in anomie
with only loose governmental structures.
On February 26, 2006 the parliament first met inside Somalia, in the city of Baidoa
, 260 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu
. 210 lawmakers of the 275-member parliament met in a grain
warehouse
temporarily converted into a meeting hall. For this reason the Transitional Federal Government is also sometimes referred to as simply the "Baidoa Government".
The Parliament as the legislative branch formed the executive branch, known as the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) of the Republic of Somalia (Dowalada Federaalka Ku Meel gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyada Soomaaliya) by electing Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
as president of Somalia in 2004. He appointed a cabinet, headed by Prime Minister
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
.
The Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP), Transitional Federal Government
(TFG), and the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) collectively comprise the Transitional Federal Institutions
(TFI) of the new Somali government. The TFG is the successor to the Transitional National Government
(TNG) of 2000–2004.
On 27 November 2008 the government and the rebelling Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
agreed to expand the parliament to double its current size, with 200 seats reserved for the Islamist opposition and 75 for civil society groups. The newly expanded parliament will then elect a new president, who will then propose a new PM to form a new government including the Islamist opposition.
The first speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament was Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan from September 15, 2004 to January 17, 2007. He was succeeded by Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe
on January 21, 2007. The previous deputy speaker was Osman Elmi Boqore.
, and a half-point to the fifth, the cluster of minority clans.
The four "major" clans are the Hawiye
, Rahanweyn
, Dir
and Darod
. The "minor" fifth clan, called "the fifth", includes, but is not limited to, other ethnically Somali clans such as Midgan
, Tumal, and Yibir
, and other non-ethnically Somali people, such as Eyle, Bantu
(Jareerweyne), Reer Hamar Reer Awxasan, Bravanese
and other Benadiri people
, and Bajuni
.
The transitional Somali parliament has 275 representatives. Thus each major clan has 61 seats and the minor clans have 31 seats to share among themselves. This formula has been widely condemned as being unfair and ineffective by both the intellectual and religious Somali communities.
as the national religion and sharia
law as the basis of national legislation (Article 8).
Chapter 9 of the Charter defines the scope and powers of the federal judiciary. Until its broader adoption, many de facto decisions were or still are made by local tribal meetings, or, during 2006, by the sharia
courts organized by the Islamic Courts Union.
and the ensuing Somali Civil War
. The country has been run for more than a decade by tribal factions and warlords.
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
formed in neighboring Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
in 2004.
The Transitional Federal Parliament has 550 members representing Somalia's clans, Islamist opposition, representatives of citizens' groups and the Somali diaspora.
Overview
The Transitional Federal Parliament had 275 memberMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
s, with each of Somalia's four major clans
Somali clan
The demographics of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health and population statistics, as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.-Somalis:...
getting 61 seats in the parliament, while an alliance of minority clans was awarded 31 seats. The Charter also dictates that at least 12% of the Parliament shall be women (Article 29).
The composition was changed as part of the meeting to elect a new president
Somali presidential election, 2009
An indirect presidential election was held in Somalia on 30 January 2009. Due to the security situation in Baidoa, it was held in Djibouti.- Background :...
in late January 2009; the size of the parliament was doubled to include 200 representatives from the Islamist opposition and 75 reprentatives of citizens' groups and diaspora representatives.
One of the formal de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
powers vested in the Parliament according to the Transitional Federal Charter (Article 5) is the governance and administration of Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
as the capital city. However, in actuality this power de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
lies in the hands of particular warlords, many of whom are also members of parliament. De facto the state is in anomie
Anomie
Anomie is a term meaning "without Law" to describe a lack of social norms; "normlessness". It describes the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and their community ties, with fragmentation of social identity and rejection of self-regulatory values. It was popularized by French...
with only loose governmental structures.
On February 26, 2006 the parliament first met inside Somalia, in the city of Baidoa
Baidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
, 260 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
. 210 lawmakers of the 275-member parliament met in a grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
temporarily converted into a meeting hall. For this reason the Transitional Federal Government is also sometimes referred to as simply the "Baidoa Government".
The Parliament as the legislative branch formed the executive branch, known as the Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
(TFG) of the Republic of Somalia (Dowalada Federaalka Ku Meel gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyada Soomaaliya) by electing Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
as president of Somalia in 2004. He appointed a cabinet, headed by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Somalia
This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Somalia.-Prime Ministers of Somalia :-Affiliations:*SYL - Somali Youth League*SNL - Somali National League...
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohamed Ghedi was the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia from 2004 to 2007. He was relatively unknown in political circles upon his appointment as prime minister in November 2004. He is affiliated with the Abgaal subclan of Mogadishu's Hawiye clan, one of...
.
The Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP), Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
(TFG), and the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) collectively comprise the Transitional Federal Institutions
Transitional Federal Institutions
The Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia are the key government foundations created in October–November 2004 at a conference held in Nairobi, Kenya. They include the following:* Transitional Federal Charter...
(TFI) of the new Somali government. The TFG is the successor to the Transitional National Government
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government of Somalia was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Djibouti....
(TNG) of 2000–2004.
On 27 November 2008 the government and the rebelling Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia is an organization created in September 2007 when Somali Islamists and opposition leaders meeting in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, joined forces to fight the Transitional Federal Government and the occupation of Somalia by Ethiopian forces.Roughly 400...
agreed to expand the parliament to double its current size, with 200 seats reserved for the Islamist opposition and 75 for civil society groups. The newly expanded parliament will then elect a new president, who will then propose a new PM to form a new government including the Islamist opposition.
Leaders of Parliament
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan was elected speaker on May 25, 2010.The first speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament was Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan from September 15, 2004 to January 17, 2007. He was succeeded by Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe
Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe
Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe is a Somali politician and a former Speaker of Parliament of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. Following the resignation of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as President of Somalia in December 2008, he became interim president. Like many Somali politicians, he is a...
on January 21, 2007. The previous deputy speaker was Osman Elmi Boqore.
Clan representation
"The 4.5 formula" was developed at the last peace conference in Nairobi in the early 2000s. It gives equal quotas for representation in government to the four major clansSomali clan
The demographics of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health and population statistics, as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.-Somalis:...
, and a half-point to the fifth, the cluster of minority clans.
The four "major" clans are the Hawiye
Hawiye
The Hawiye is a Somali clan. Members of the clan primarily live in central and southern Somalia, in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province , and in smaller numbers in other countries. Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their ancestry to Irir Samaale...
, Rahanweyn
Rahanweyn
The Rahanweyn is a Somali clan, composed of two major sub-clans, the Digil and the Mirifle. It makes up about 17% of the population of Somalia, and is one of the five major Somali clans residing in the Horn of Africa.-Overview:The Digil sub-clan mainly consists of farmers and coastal people, while...
, Dir
Dir (clan)
The Dir , or Theyr bin Abdalla as mentioned in the book "Futuh al-Habasha", is a Somali clan. Its members mostly live in northwestern Somalia and Djibouti, in addition to southern and central Somalia and the Ogaden....
and Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
. The "minor" fifth clan, called "the fifth", includes, but is not limited to, other ethnically Somali clans such as Midgan
Midgan
The Madhiban , also known as the Midgaan , is a Somali clan.Its members are principally concentrated in northern Somalia, numbering only around 9,000 individuals ....
, Tumal, and Yibir
Yibir
The Yibir , also known as the Yahhar, are a small clan of Somalia, subsisting as itinerant soothsayers and magicians...
, and other non-ethnically Somali people, such as Eyle, Bantu
Somali Bantu
The Somali Bantu are a minority ethnic group in Somalia. They primarily reside in southern Somalia, near the Juba and Shabelle rivers, and are the descendants of people from various Bantu ethnic groups originating from what are modern-day Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique who were sold into Somalia...
(Jareerweyne), Reer Hamar Reer Awxasan, Bravanese
Barawa
Barawa or Brava is a port town on the south-eastern coast of Somalia. The traditional inhabitants are the Tunni Somalis and the Bravanese people, who speak Bravanese, a Swahili dialect.-History:...
and other Benadiri people
Benadiri people
The Benadiri people , also known as Reer Xamar or "people of Mogadishu", are an ethnic group in Somalia.-Overview:The Benadiri traditionally live in Mogadishu, Merca and Barawa on the Benadir coast, and are principally engaged in business and fishing...
, and Bajuni
Bajuni people
The Bajuni people are a minority ethnic group that live in East Africa.-Overview:The Bajuni principally inhabit the tiny Bajuni Islands in the Indian Ocean. Many also traditionally reside in Kenya, mainly in Mombasa and other towns in that country's Coast Province...
.
The transitional Somali parliament has 275 representatives. Thus each major clan has 61 seats and the minor clans have 31 seats to share among themselves. This formula has been widely condemned as being unfair and ineffective by both the intellectual and religious Somali communities.
Islamic sharia as basis of national law
Chapter 2 of the Transitional Federal Charter defines IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
as the national religion and sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law as the basis of national legislation (Article 8).
Chapter 9 of the Charter defines the scope and powers of the federal judiciary. Until its broader adoption, many de facto decisions were or still are made by local tribal meetings, or, during 2006, by the sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
courts organized by the Islamic Courts Union.
History
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Republic of Somalia has had a tumultuous history. It is the most recent attempt to restore national institutions to Somalia after the 1991 downfall of Siad BarreSiad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
and the ensuing Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
. The country has been run for more than a decade by tribal factions and warlords.
External links
- Official Site of the Somali Government
- Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments CIA, last updated 11/22/2006
- Report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation in Somalia, 11 October 2001, United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...