MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – A joint session of lawmakers from both chambers of the Federal Parliament of Somalia ended in chaos today after being marred by physical confrontations and disorder.
The session, which was scheduled to be jointly chaired by the Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe), and the Second Deputy Speaker of the Upper House, Shacbaan Ibrahim, descended into confusion from the outset. Opposition lawmakers disrupted the meeting by blowing whistles and banging plastic containers, protesting the proposed agenda, which focused on debating amendments to Chapters 5 and 9 of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution—an issue that has sparked significant controversy.
The Speaker of the Upper House, Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, boycotted the session despite being expected to attend joint parliamentary meetings, highlighting the deep divisions within the Federal Parliament.
MP Hassan Ibrahim, a lawmaker from Jubaland, said the session failed to officially open after members rejected the agenda.
“No agenda was approved. The hall turned into a scene of fighting and chaos, and that is how the meeting ended,” he told the media following the collapse of the session.
Several lawmakers argued that amending the constitution at this time is unlawful, noting that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the current Parliament have only three and a half months remaining in their term, making constitutional changes inappropriate.
Opposition MP Dahir Amin Jeesow warned that Speaker Adan Madobe could face removal from office if he continues to introduce agendas that lack consensus.
“If Adan Madobe insists on pushing an agenda that is not agreed upon, we will remove him from office—and I will take his seat,” MP Jeesow said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Internal Security, who is also an MP, Abdullahi Ismail Fartaag, accused opposition lawmakers of illegally obstructing the constitutional amendment process.
A physical altercation later erupted between MP Fartaag and MP Hassan Ibrahim, with the two exchanging punches as the parliamentary chamber turned into what witnesses described as a battleground. Journalists were present and witnessed the incident.
WATCH: The moment Somalia’s Internal Security Minister engaged in a fistfight with MP Hassan Ibrahim from #Jubaland inside the parliamentary chamber during a chaotic session today, forcing parliament to end the sitting abruptly.
A fistfight broke out inside the chamber,… pic.twitter.com/V0FvT4KOuq
— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) January 28, 2026
Shortly afterward, Speaker Adan Madobe issued a statement claiming that 180 members of the House of the People and 31 Senators from the Upper House were present, constituting a quorum.
“The session opened with a quorum of 180 Members of Parliament from the House of the People and 31 Senators from the Upper House. Members of both chambers were distributed reports on the proposed amendments to Chapters 5 through 9 of the Constitution, including a detailed explanatory document, as well as a brief proposal regarding amendments to Articles 49, 50, and 54 of Chapter 4,” the statement from the Speaker’s office said.
The meeting concluded around midday amid widespread disorder and unrest.
This incident follows developments from the previous day, when the joint constitutional review committee of both parliamentary chambers became divided over the disputed amendments to Somalia’s Provisional Constitution. The amendment process, which began in 2023, has been rejected by some Federal Member States and opposition political groups.