Somalia Parliament unanimously approves constitutional amendments

The Somali Parliament has unanimously approved amendments to four articles of the constitution, introducing aspects including a five-year term for the president and reduced powers for the prime minister.

The changes also introduce three nationwide political parties and state that the next president shall be selected via the direct, one-person, one-vote system.

One of the ratified provisions dictates the establishment of the offices of both a president and a prime minister, granting the president the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister.

Previously, the constitution mandated the president to nominate the PM, subject to a parliamentary confidence vote. Parliament also held the power to remove the PM through a vote of no confidence.

Further provisions specify a five-year tenure for government bodies and designate regional state presidents as leaders.

Somalia's lawmakers vote on constitutional amendments during a joint session on March 30, 2024. (Photo: Villa Somalia)

Each of the four articles was voted on separately in a joint session of the bicameral Parliament on Saturday, with both houses approving the overall constitutional amendments.

The lawmakers postponed voting on three provisions: the right to life (under Article 13), freedom of religion (under Article 16), and the age of maturity (under Article 28).

The committee responsible for the amendments stated that these sections would be revised pending expert opinion, which was accepted, and thus they were amended accordingly. It said it would remove references to Islam in the constitution after consulting with religious scholars and receiving their recommendations.

Saturday's session, chaired by Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur 'Madobe', saw 254 affirmative votes—212 from the House of the People and 42 from the Upper House. There were no abstentions or rejections.

Madobe commended the lawmakers for their unanimous and decisive approval, following the announcement of the vote's outcome.

"The quorum present in the Senate at today's session is 42. All 42 senators voted to pass the vote, so the senate vote is approved and passed," he said after the process.

"The quorum of members of Parliament who attended today's session of the Federal Parliament of Somalia is 212. No member voted against or abstained from the vote. All 212 have voted yes; as such, the motion is passed and the constitutional amendments are passed," he added, as members clapped and ululated.

Today marks a historic milestone for Somalia as both Houses of Parliament vote to complete the 1st four chapters of the Constitution review process. A crucial step towards a brighter future.

#Somalia #ConstitutionReview pic.twitter.com/9TF1u8NAes

— Sen. Abdullahi Ali Hersi Timacadde (@Timacadde_) March 30, 2024

Somalia's provisional constitution, established in 2012, has been under review for nearly a decade, with intensified efforts since late 2023.

In January of this year, Parliament resolved to initiate the process of constitutional amendments to ultimately produce a final document crucial for Somalia's nation-building and political stability.

In February, the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission presented Parliament with proposed amendments to the initial four chapters, covering articles on the age of majority and the criminalisation of female genital mutilation (FGM).

On January 24, Somalia's Federal Parliament endorsed the 'Adoption Procedure for Constitutional Amendment' during a joint session.

The crafting of the constitution has divided the country, with some of the country's largest political blocs, including the influential regional state of Puntland and two former presidents, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, expressing their opposition over a lack of consensus among political stakeholders.

The three groups had gathered in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, but were unable to garner enough votes to halt the process in Parliament.

However, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, for whom the completion of the constitutional process was a major campaign promise, was in no mood to compromise. He pushed on and appears to have achieved a historic breakthrough with the unanimous endorsement of the new constitution.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud follows proceedings as Parliament votes on constitutional amendments on March 30, 2024. (Photo: Villa Somalia)

In his reaction to Saturday's development, Hassan heaped praise on the parliamentarians and urged them to complete the remaining tasks of giving the country a new constitution.

"Today is a historic day that will be recorded in the annals of history as part of Somalia's state-building processes, which have taken a long time. The completion of the constitutional review process is a cornerstone in the development of democracy, statehood and the rebuilding of government institutions," he wrote on X.

"I urge members of both houses of Parliament to resume the review, correction and completion of the remaining chapters of the constitution."

Criticism came from former PMs Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and Hassan Ali Kheyre, and Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, a current MP.

They warned that Parliament's action would put the country in a bad place and create public mistrust.

"The President is leading the country into a political crisis and uncertainty, and has endangered the reconciliation and state-building process," they said in a joint statement.

"He undermined public trust and confidence building, introduced two versions of the constitution that will lead the country into controversy and ambiguity, questioning the legitimacy of the presidency and government institutions."