Somali lawmakers have voted to extend by two years the term of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) which was due to expire in August.
The TFG was formed in Kenya in 2004 in a bid to restore stability in war-torn Somalia. It has however been unable to exert authority across the country.
“We wanted the term of the TFG to be extended until August 2011 so that we can facilitate free and fair elections. We cannot continue with this huge parliament for more than two years,� Parliament Speaker Aden Mohamed Nur said.
The lawmakers are currently meeting in Djibouti, due to insecurity in Somalia, to elect a new president to replace Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed who resigned last month.
Clan bickering and violence have scuppered numerous efforts to restore normalcy in Somalia. The Horn of African state has not had a functioning national government since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre.
In recent years, ensuing instability, coupled with drought, high food prices as well as the collapse of the local currency have significantly worsened the dire humanitarian situation in Somalia.
MPs delay presidential election
Lawmakers have announced a five-day delay in the president elections to replace the resigned former leader Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.
"The majority of parliamentarians agreed on the additional five days." AFP quoted parliament speaker Aden Mohamed Nur as saying on Tuesday.
"But if we can do it earlier, we will," he said at a parliamentary session in Djibouti.
The delay would mean a break from the country's transitional charter that dictates the nomination of a new president within 30 days of the position falling vacant.
Yusuf, 74, stepped down on December 29, and Security concerns have prompted politicians to gather in Djibouti before the deadline to elect his replacement expires this Wednesday.
An overwhelming majority of the lawmakers voted on Monday to double the size of the parliament, to include opposition members.
The new MPs are expected to be sworn in on Wednesday.
The addition of 275 seats to the parliament was announced while al-Shabab fighters captured Baidoa town, seat of the parliament, after heavy fighting.
The African Union (AU) commission chief Jean Ping said the move would not impair the political process in the Horn of Africa nation.
"The situation on the ground in Somalia has revealed itself as less serious than we expected," Ping told reporters Tuesday at the bloc's headquarters in Addis Ababa.
presstv.com and alshnews.co.uk