Friday April 15, 2022
Beledweyne (HOL) - A federal Member of the Parliament, Ali Hajji Aadan Abukar, has denied being affiliated with Al-Shabab after a video emerged on social media showing him speaking at an event held in the Al Shabaab-controlled El-Ali district.
The MP was among the 290 lawmakers sworn into office in Mogadishu on Thursday.
In an interview with VOA Somali, the MP said a community group asked him to transport science teachers to El-Ali High School and attend the school's opening ceremony in 2014. At the time, he was a doctor and a university lecturer in Mogadishu.
El-Ali Primary and Secondary School was expanded to a secondary school in 2012.
“I delivered a speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of the education community. I reminded parents to be diligent in their children's education. The people cut a small part of my speech and then posted it on social media to misrepresent me", he said in the interview.
He added that his political opponents tried to exclude him from the parliamentary race by saying he was connected with Al-Shabaab.
The lawmaker denied ever contacting al-Shabaab, saying he is dedicated to working to bring government services to the people he represents