MPs

Directive to force public servants into state healthcare ignites constitutional and capacity debate A government directive ordering public servants and senior officials to use the public healthcare system has thrown a spotlight on constitutional rights, public-sector capacity and political risk. Announced as part of negotiations over full government coverage of Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS) fees, the move — slated to take effect on April 1 — has been met by legal and practical objections from former…

Flight carrying Puntland State lawmakers ordered back to Mogadishu; Puntland State suspends Daallo Airlines MOGADISHU, Somalia — More than 30 members of Somalia’s federal parliament from Puntland State were forced to return to the capital on Monday after their flight to Garowe was ordered back, intensifying a political standoff ahead of a planned consultative meeting in the regional capital. The lawmakers were en route to a meeting convened by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni on Somalia’s political situation.…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Lawmakers representing the Buurhakaba constituency have accused Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union mission in Somalia of meddling in local politics in Southwest State, alleging pressure on district officials and a failure to prioritize security in a volatile area. In a letter dated February 27, 2026, and addressed to the Chairperson of the African Union, three federal MPs — Saadad Mohamed Nur Aliyow, Fowsiyo Mohamed Sheikh, and Mohamed Ali Hassan — said Ethiopian forces operating in Sector…

More than 150 lawmakers were absent at the start of official proceedings in the Malawi Parliament, lawmakers and observers reported, raising fresh concerns about attendance at sittings where national laws, budgets and policies are debated and approved. The First Deputy Speaker called the widespread absence "very saddening" and warned that members who continue to miss sittings without permission face sanctions, including the withdrawal of parliamentary allowances. Authorities said the pattern undermines the House’s…

Monday, February 9, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s parliamentary leadership suspended six more lawmakers from the House of the People on Monday, accusing them of disrupting proceedings during a contentious joint sitting as a high-stakes fight over proposed constitutional amendments widens and deepens political rifts in Mogadishu. The decision, issued by Acting Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker Abdullahi Omar Abshirow, cites violations of the House’s Rules of Procedure under Articles 14, 16 and 28. The leadership said the…

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will face his MPs this week as he fights for his political survival after his chief of staff resigned over the fallout from the Peter Mandelson appointment and its links to Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer is expected to address a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party amid anger over his decision to name Mandelson ambassador to the United States, despite knowing Mandelson’s association with Epstein continued after the financier’s conviction for child sex offenses. The government is…

Somali police seize control of parliament; lawmakers report threats of lethal force MOGADISHU, Feb. 7 — Armed police units took control of Somalia’s Federal Parliament main hall on Saturday, paralyzing proceedings as lawmakers said officers threatened to open fire on anyone attempting to speak and a female representative was physically assaulted during a chaotic standoff. Witnesses and parliamentary sources said police deployed inside the House of the People imposed extraordinary restrictions that blocked members of…

Two opposition Members of Parliament were arrested while performing official committee duties, prompting accusations that the independence and safety of the legislature are under threat and a parliamentary boycott by the main opposition party. Opposition leaders said the arrests — of two MPs who serve on the Budget and Transport committees — took place during formal committee work and were made on allegations of corruption. They accused Speaker Sameer Suleman of failing to protect Parliament and urged him to press the…

Labour MPs will meet Saturday amid mounting speculation that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham could seek a return to Westminster in the Gorton and Denton by-election, a move that would test the prime minister’s authority and the party’s internal discipline. The gathering of Labour MPs from north-west England comes as senior figures weigh whether Burnham should be allowed to enter the race to succeed Andrew Gwynne, who formally resigned his Greater Manchester seat on Friday, triggering a by-election. Burnham has long…

Labour MPs from northwest England will gather amid rising speculation that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham could seek to stand in a forthcoming Westminster by-election in Gorton and Denton — a move that would test the Prime Minister’s authority and reshape Labour’s internal dynamics. The meeting comes as party figures weigh whether Burnham, long viewed as a potential rival for the party leadership, will enter the race triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne, the former MP for the Greater Manchester seat. Burnham…