Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Somalia’s Lower House of Parliament postponed its session on Monday following escalating tensions among lawmakers. The conflict arose after some members proposed a motion against their colleagues, primarily from Southwest State, accusing them of supporting Ethiopia and rejecting Egypt’s presence in Somali territory.

The proponents of the motion demanded that the Speaker of Parliament, Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Madobe), accept their proposal to strip the accused MPs of their immunity and hold them accountable for what they described as treasonous actions.

In response, the accused MPs threatened to counter with a motion against the government itself and urged the Speaker not to entertain the initial motion. The heated political arguments that ensued led to the decision to cancel the day’s session, according to parliamentary sources.

The postponed session was also expected to address the contentious debate over the value-added tax (VAT) imposed by the government on traders in Mogadishu in August, which has sparked widespread discontent among the business community.