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By Sami Zaptia.
London, 10 March 2021:
The reunified House of Representatives (HoR) continued its historic secession in Sirte yesterday in its effort to pass a vote of confidence in the Government of National Unity (GNU) presented by prime minister designate Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba.
Yesterday’s second day session, again televised live, was dedicated to the direct questioning of the designate prime minister by HoR members.
The session…
An early impression of Aldabaiba
Aldabaiba, who admitted he was not a good public speaker, had difficulty speaking in classical Arabic. But once he relaxed and spoke in the Libyan dialect, he made a much better impression. He came across as a person who knew what he was saying and who was not repeating lines he had prepared.
He quickly added humour to his answers and made an instant connection with the HoR members during the over-three hours question and answer session. He was patient, humble and took everything they threw at him.
He has a very short memory span. Questions, especially long ones, of two or three parts, he often forgot. He constantly referred to his aides to remind him of the rest of questions and for answers to them.
At times a rowdy session
Many members spoke, at an often rowdy, session forcing the broadcaster to mute the sound or switch to a still frame. Everybody wanted to speak – and speak first.
Many members were blatantly parochial, wanting more local projects and services – at a session meant to be purely for the endorsement of the GNU.
Many vowed their support to the government and not a single member openly said they would be voting against it. (However over 40 members failed to turn up at the Sirte session in the first place).
The questioning began about Aldabaiba’s formation of his government and the process of how he chose it. Aldabaiba, who admitted that he was not a good public speaker, said he wanted people in his government who work hard for all of Libya and are able to travel across Libya.
He said he was a worker and wanted workers and said he we must think of our children. He admitted he had implemented many construction contracts under the Qaddafi regime – including the Ouagadougou Conference Centre the HoR session was being held in in Sirte.
He repeated that he had received over 3,000 CVs of which over 2,000 were looked at. He said there was no time to check them all within the 21 days he had to present his government to parliament.
He said the current Faiez Serraj government had prevented him from contacting state entities, which made his preparation work difficult.
He admitted that he did know his ministers and that he only chose one minister. They were presented by the voting districts and HoR members.
He explained that he had omitted former ministers and HoR members from ministerial roles, preferring fresher blood. But they were able to be selected as Deputy Ministers.
Social media campaign
He warned about accusation of corruption on social media which he said could not be taken as facts and would not be grounds for disqualifying proposed ministers. He said if any facts are proven – even about himself – then he would act. He revealed that the day after he was selected as designate PM 50 fake social media accounts purporting to be his or his governments were created.
He warned that there is a huge social media campaign against him and his government. ‘’Some want to destroy us’’, he lamented.
Unification of institutions was in itself an achievement
He said the unification of Libya’s institutions would in itself be an achievement during his term in office. He stressed he was ready to work with anyone and stressed he was not a regionalist and was for all Libya. He was for unifiers and those who are divisive.
Financial disclosure forms
He insisted that all his government would be made to complete the financial disclosure forms to declare their wealth. He said the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has a huge job to do and that the HoR must select it – as it is within its authority.
HoR must step up
He said the HoR also has a huge job to do and that it must meet often (in quorate) – not just once every six years. He warned it that the people are watching and that they are tired of the political tug-of-war between it and the High State Council. He said the HoR should start a new page today and start making decisions.
He said the HoR had a big responsibility and it should not let it pass. He called on its patriotism. Libyans’ honour before the world must be returned, he said pointing out to how they are treated by foreign states and outside. No foreign flights will come to Libya, he pointed out.
The HoR must restart from point zero and must think of Libya and its sons first today. It must return its decision-making power which it had now lost to the outside (UNSMIL / foreign states or LPDF?) Libya. He hoped the HoR would now regain its power.
The controversial Minister of Defence portfolio
Aldabaiba said this position is very sensitive and divisive and that is why he has left it vacant. He said all were fighting for this position and that he did not want a war from day one of his term by giving it to one side or the other.
I will never allow another war, he stressed.
Women in his government
He said women must not get a peripheral role in his government and wanted to appoint the first female Libyan Foreign Minister. He said he had nominated 15 percent women in his government but hoped to surpass the agreed 30 percent quota through other posts in his government.
Rational and mechanism for choosing his government
In the middle of his question-and-answer session, Aldabaiba handed over the podium to his young official spokesman, Mohamed Hamouda, who presented a PowerPoint presentation explaining the rational of how the government was chosen. There was no hiding it was about geographical balance and distribution. The distribution was along the 13 election districts from which 26 ministers, 6 Ministers of State and two Deputy Ministers were chosen.
Minimalist government v wide distribution
Many HoR members were often self-contradictory or contradicted their colleagues. Many wanted posts for their city/region, or more posts, or more important posts. Others noted that in the next 9 months of his government having 26 ministers was unrealistic.
Aldabiaba said he wanted a large government so that at this time of reunification and healing, all felt part of the government.
On his ambitious programme for the remaining nine months, Aldabaiba said he would do his best to achieve as much as possible.
Foreign forces and mercenaries
To the question on foreign forces and mercenaries he said there were about 20,000 in Libya and that this was encroaching Libya’s sovereignty. They must all leave Libya. He described them as ‘‘a dagger in all Libyan’s backs’’. But he stressed it was a complex issue and that their removal needed wisdom, calm, and dealing with (states’) interests.
Turkey agreements
He supported the economic agreement with Turkey to explore for oil and gas – but said any military agreement was the domain of the HoR.
Health file
He admitted that the health file was the biggest source of corruption, theft and mismanagement. He proposed that 3-4 hospitals he handed over to international companies to manage.
He said the US$ 3-4 billion spent outside in countries such as Tunisia should be invested domestically in the health sector. The private health sector also needs oversight and standards set.
The 24 December elections
Understanding that his government has at best 9 months until the 24 December elections, which he fully supported, he said the bases of these elections – constitutional via a referendum or otherwise – was a matter for the Presidency Council, HoR and High State Council.
Anti-Coronavirus vaccine
With regards to the anti-coronavirus vaccine, Aldabaiba said he will bring the vaccine at as soon as possible, at any cost and by anyway – through the formal or black market. He said he had already talked to the Central Bank of Libya about it. He said 1.5 million vaccines were on their way.
Undesirable members of his government
On accusations against members of his proposed government, Aldabaiba said he will act on proof and not social media claims. Anyone proven to be unsuitable he would remove, he said.
At this point HoR Speaker Ageela Saleh pointed out that HoR regulations allow for the removal of ministers if 40 HoR members signed a petition for their removal.
Youth and guns
He said youth must leave their guns and join development. He said that many who were responsible for insecurity had needs and that the causes of insecurity needed to be studies – in order to solve the security issue.
He planned to localize security implementation to councils and municipality level – in order to achieve it and decentralize it.
At around 5 pm Tripoli time, the session was suspended until tomorrow.
