Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s House of the People has ended a monthly $100 salary deduction imposed on every lawmaker for an MPs’ welfare fund, Speaker Abdiqadir Mohamed Nur Jama announced Saturday.
The speaker said the contribution was introduced during a period of serious security and economic hardship to support lawmakers and the families of deceased MPs.
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He said conditions had since changed, pointing to improvements in government institutions and Somalia’s governance system.
“We have reached the most appropriate time to stop collecting that contribution,” the speaker said.
Under the decision, MPs will now receive their full monthly salaries without the $100 deduction.
“Instead, if a lawmaker dies, a one-time deduction of $200 will be made from each MP to cover funeral and condolence-related expenses,” he added.
House leaders said the temporary measure would ultimately give way to a formal welfare fund focused on meeting MPs’ welfare needs.
Speaker Abdiqadir said the monthly levy had repeatedly been raised in the House, where lawmakers debated and disagreed over how the collected money was managed.
He said the leadership’s aim was to end the recurring deduction and ensure every MP receives their full salary.
The leadership also announced plans to create a formal healthcare system that would provide medical support to MPs during their time in office.
