Mogadishu — A joint sitting of Somalia’s Federal Parliament, bringing together both the House of the People and the Upper House to deliberate on Chapters Five through Nine of the Provisional Constitution, ended in disorder on Tuesday after disruptions that began at the opening of the session and continued until its conclusion.

The session was marred by loud protests as a group of lawmakers blocked the parliamentary leadership and used whistles, preventing proceedings from moving forward. According to the Speaker of the House of the People, Aden Madoobe, a total of 211 legislators were in attendance, including 180 members of the House of the People and 31 senators from the Upper House.

Inside the parliamentary chamber, tensions escalated as some lawmakers tore up copies of the day’s agenda, while verbal confrontations between members intensified and, in some instances, turned into physical scuffles. Although these altercations were reportedly brought under control, the overall disruption persisted. Video recordings from the session showed chaotic scenes as efforts to restore order proved unsuccessful.

In an attempt to contain the situation, the parliamentary leadership instructed members of the media to leave the hall. Reports also indicated that mobile phones were confiscated from lawmakers who were using whistles during the disturbance. Despite these measures, the Speaker was unable to formally open the session, and the meeting was effectively brought to a halt.

Sources within parliament say the leadership of Somalia’s Federal Parliament is preparing to take disciplinary action against the lawmakers responsible for obstructing the session. While no official decision has been announced, the measures under consideration reportedly include publicly naming those involved, suspending them from upcoming sittings, and issuing formal warnings to prevent similar disruptions in the future.