Parliament in Somalia on Monday extended its mandate alongside that of President Mohamed Farmaajo by two years, in a polemic move that is set to ignite international debate.

The MPs made the decision during emergency sittings of the Lower House with 149 MPs voting to extend their mandate as 3 voted against and one abstained.

The Somali National Assembly usually consists of 275 legislators.

President Farmaajo has lauded the move saying it will give the country sufficient time to correct the unremitting rows on the model to be used in the electoral process.

The lawmakers said the two-year power extension will give the once war-torn country ample time to prepare for universal suffrage, which has proven elusive in four years.

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“His Excellency, President Mohamed Farmaajo urges the citizens to seize the historic chance to choose their destiny as the House of the People voted to return the elections mandate to the people. This followed the failure of FMS members to support the implementation of the initial Sep 17, 2020 Agreement,” a statement from Farmaajo’s official residence, Villa Somalia, in Mogadishu said.

The move comes as opposition leaders and the international community opposed the mandate extension and any decisions that could work against enactment of an indirect poll based on a deal struck on September 17 last year.

The deal signed by Farmaajo and leaders of five federal states settled on an indirect election based on delegates nominated by elders together with the electoral management bodies.

The delegates would elect MPs, who would in turn elect the president, but the parties differed on who should be members of the poll body, security and poll venues in some states resulting in a breakdown of talks.