National Assembly speaker Moses Wetang'ula with Somali Speaker Sheikh Nur and other officials during a meeting on November 18,2025/NASomalia’s Federal Parliament Speaker, Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur, made a high-stakes visit to Nairobi Tuesday to meet his Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetang’ula amid a raging legal battle over Somalia’s nominees to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Nur's visit was aimed at seeking crucial diplomatic support from Wetang'ula in addressing the long-standing dispute, which has seen the Court halt the swearing-in of Somalia’s nine elected representatives.
"Nur requested Kenya’s support in resolving the ongoing stalemate at the East African Court of Justice concerning Somalia’s nominees," Wetang'ula said.
The court froze the process after a group of Somali lawmakers filed a petition challenging the legitimacy of the nomination and election procedures.
It argued that the process failed to meet the political diversity, transparency and legal thresholds required under the East African Community (EAC) Treaty.
According to reports, the dissenting legislators point at Somalia’s leadership, particularly the ruling party, of handpicking nominees without adequate consultation.
Among the MPs’ grievances are the short five-day window in which the selection was conducted, mandatory payments of US$10,000(Sh1,300,500) for candidacy, and allegations of nepotism, with some nominees said to be close associates or even relatives of senior officials.
They argued that the process violated Article 50(1) of the EAC Treaty, which requires an “indirect election” that reflects diverse political, social, and gender interests.
The stalemate has left Somalia unable to take up its seats in the regional assembly despite completing its internal elections in October, marking its first-ever participation since formally joining the EAC.
For Mogadishu, the impasse is increasingly embarrassing and politically costly, undermining its bid to integrate fully into regional institutions.
Wetang’ula, one of the EAC’s most senior parliamentary figures, is seen as a key ally who can help rally consensus among regional legislatures and informally nudge the process toward a settlement.
The Nairobi talks, according to officials familiar with the discussions, focused on identifying a pathway that respects both the EACJ process and Somalia’s sovereign parliamentary mandate.
The talks, he added, also focused on strengthening regional parliamentary cooperation, including strategies to encourage the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to participate more actively and effectively in EAC activities as part of efforts to accelerate regional integration.
Nur was recently elected the chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) Bureau of Speakers.
"I assured him of my unwavering support as he takes on this important regional mandate," the Speaker said.
Nur further confirmed Somalia’s participation in the upcoming EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games, scheduled to take place in Kampala from December 5-15.
