Standoff at Somalia’s Parliament Blocks Move to Oust Opposition Leader
Standoff at Somalia’s Parliament Blocks Move to Oust Opposition Leader
NAIROBI, Kenya — A police contingent loyal to a top opposition leader in Somalia took over Parliament for several hours on Wednesday, pushing a growing political rift to the brink of armed confrontation.
Parliamentary police officers loyal to Mohamed Osman Jawari, the Parliament speaker, disrupted a no-confidence vote against him early Wednesday. The police lined up to block the speaker’s podium, and lawmakers who support Mr. Jawari accused other legislators of taking money to vote against the speaker, chanting, “Down with bribetakers!”
Supporters of the no-confidence motion said the police had refused to let them inside the building.
In response, state security forces loyal to President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who is known as Farmajo, deployed outside the Parliament building, raising fear that tensions between the two men could erupt into an armed confrontation.
Mr. Jawari has been at odds with Somalia’s presid..