Somali MPs on Wednesday supported Prime Minister Abdullahi Mohamed’s rejection of a deal extending the mandate of the country’s transitional institutions but requiring him to resign immediately.

Mr Mohamed, the MPs said in Nairobi, took the right decision as per the “transitional charter and other state legal instruments.”

“His rejection to resign according to the Kampala accord, has save the transitional federal institutions and shed light on the illegality of the Kampala accord,” the MPs said in a statement read by Mr Awad Ahmed Ashareh in Nairobi.

President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Speaker of parliament Sheikh Aden signed an agreement on June 9 in Kampala extending the mandate of the terms of the president and parliament by a year to August 2012.

The accord, witnessed by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and UN officials provided for the resignation of the prime minister within 30 days and for his successor to be named by the President and approved by Parliament within 14 days.

The agreement sparked protests in Mogadishu with majority of residents condemning it.

On Tuesday, the PM said he will respect the wish of Somalis who want him to stay in office rather than implementing the Kampala accord.

“I decided to wait for the decision of the parliament and to stay in the office. I’ll continue my work as prime minister,” Mr Mohamed told journalists in Mogadishu.

On Wednesday, the MPs said the PM had fulfilled his responsibility by abiding by the spirit and the content of the Charter and other laws of the country.

By submitting the Kampala accord to Parliament, the MPs said, the PM shows he respects the country’s laws and that he could only resign if they pass a vote of no confidence in him.

“It is unfortunate that the first deputy Speaker refused the request of the MPs for a meeting to debate the Kampala accord which was submitted to the parliament by the government,” Mr Ashareh said.

The MPs threatened to convene parliamentary session to be chaired by the “oldest” member if the deputy Speaker does not abide by the rules of National Assembly and allow debate of the accord.

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