Somali Government by July

By Adow Jubat

An all inclusive Somali National Government will be ready by July with its headquarters in Mogadishu.

The revelation was made yesterday by the Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia Mr Mohammed Abdi Affey.

The Somali peace talks in Mbagathi, Nairobi had assured the international community and the Inter-governmental Development Authority (Igad) countries of the realisation of a central government in that country soon, said Affey .

The envoy was addressing over 50 delegates from rival clans in Somalia’s Gedo area, at the end of a week-long reconciliation tour along the Kenya-Somalia border in Mandera District.

The Somali peace talks were now in the third and most crucial phase, he said.

"This involves the appointment of parliamentarians by clan members who will in turn appoint a president," said Affey.

The new government, which will be formed in Nairobi, will immediately relocate to Mogadishu with the financial support of Igad member countries and the international community who have been facilitating the peace talks.

Affey cautioned warlords in his country and others opposed to the formation of the central government to desist from their "mischievous activities".

"Anybody proved to be an obstacle to peace in Somalia will be indicted for war crimes and other injustices against humanity," he warned.

The ambassador said the Kenyan Government would not rescind its ban on the use of Somali passports until a legitimate central government was in place.

He revealed that the move was aimed at arm-twisting those opposed to the reconciliation talks to lend their full support.

The passports, said Affey, had been greatly abused by criminals and warlords for the last 14 years.

Said the envoy: "It is ironic for the warlords to use the documents to traverse borders while on the other hand, they are opposed to the establishment of a government in their country." He said a multi-national force from the African Union would be dispatched to Somalia soon to disarm militiamen. The forces will be provided by the union’s peace and security council based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.