Somali Foreign Minister Fiqi Confronts Impeachment Amid Allegations of Corruption and Employee Intimidation
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE) — Somalia’s Parliament took a bold step on Saturday by launching an impeachment motion against Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi.
The document, which found its way to the media, shows a staggering 189 MPs signed off on the motion before it landed on the desk of Sheikh Adan Madoobe, the Speaker of Parliament.
This motion is packed with grave accusations against Fiqi:
Violating foreign service statutes;
Getting entangled in bribery and profiteering from Ministry certification services;
Fostering discrimination and favoritism within Ministry staff;
Dipping into funds meant for embassies abroad;
Botching the management of Ministry and embassy records;
Tearing apart the Ministry’s organizational framework;
Terrorizing and intimidating senior officials and employees;
Mismanaging training programs and seminars;
Lacking essential diplomatic finesse;
Crippling the Ministry’s operations.
Though the path forward for the impeachment is still murky, MPs backing the motion assured Kaab TV that they’ve drummed up considerable support, and a spirited debate is on the horizon.
Somalia’s Parliament Submits Impeachment Motion Against Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi
Members of Somalia’s Parliament have submitted a formal motion of impeachment against the @MOFASomalia, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi. The motion, which was signed by 189 MPs, was presented to the… pic.twitter.com/8FgRos4Cbq
— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) September 28, 2024
This parliamentary maneuver unfurled while Minister Fiqi is out of the country, having just wrapped up meetings in New York and Ankara where Turkish officials were mediating discussions between Mogadishu and Ethiopia.
Fiqi, a perceived confidant of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, ascended to the role of Foreign Minister in April, following a stint as Interior Minister.
Recently, Fiqi stirred the pot by calling for the “execution” of opposition MPs who openly critiqued Egypt’s role in Somali affairs. This comes amid escalating tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa regarding a North Western State of Somalia agreement seeking access to the Red Sea.
Fiqi has yet to publicly address the impeachment motion.
His incendiary comments branding opposition MPs of Rahanweyn ethnicity as “traitors” deserving public execution have faced broad condemnation.
Meanwhile, the Somali Federal Government, confined largely to Mogadishu, grapples with mounting opposition from regional states as the militant group Al-Shabaab maintains control over significant parts of the country.
