Somalia Parliament presses ahead with Constitutional review despite boycott threat

Somalia’s bicameral parliament proceeded with its constitutional review debates on Tuesday, disregarding calls for a boycott from a section of lawmakers who raised concerns about procedural flaws and external interference in the process.

A petition, signed by 72 Somali lawmakers, including two former presidents, was circulated to the media on Monday, outlining their withdrawal from the ongoing parliamentary discussions on constitutional reform. They alleged a lack of transparency and inclusivity, expressing concerns that the process was being rushed through parliament without adequate public involvement.

“The current constitutional review process suffers from a lack of transparency and inclusivity, which undermines legitimacy and trust in the final outcome. This hampers the creation of a constitution that genuinely reflects the aspirations and hopes of the Somali people,” their statement read in part.

Mohamed Ibrahim, one of the lawmakers who endorsed the petition, cited procedural irregularities and unconstitutional practices as reasons for his withdrawal from supporting the debate on constitutional review.

“The constitution review process is being pushed through Parliament, flouting parliamentary regulations and procedures. This undermines the integrity and credibility of parliament, and I cannot endorse such a flawed outcome,” stated lawmaker Ibrahim in an interview with Eastleigh Voice.

Despite these objections, parliamentary sessions continued on Tuesday, focusing primarily on Chapter 4 of the constitution. Speaker of Parliament, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur “Madobe,” announced that debates on Chapter 4 would extend until the weekend to accommodate input from more lawmakers who had yet to share their perspectives.

“We will conclude the debate on Saturday when many more lawmakers who are yet to share their views will do so and we can hand over our recommendations to the constitutional review committee. I want to thank you very much, and our session today is closed,” Speaker Madobe told lawmakers today after the house business closed.

Out of the 329 Parliamentarians, 72 have given dissenting views, with 257 others still submitting their views.

The constitutional review process commenced on February 24, with lawmakers deliberating on four chapters of the Provisional Constitution. Amendments to 45 articles and 97 clauses have been proposed, along with additions of 19 articles and 95 clauses, and removals of 3 articles and 26 clauses.

The opposing lawmakers claim the process is like rewriting the country’s constitution, and suspect ulterior motives behind the executive's push for its completion. They also said Puntland State, a key state in Somalia, is not involved in the process, therefore the process lacks consensus.

As of now, there has been no official response from the Presidency, and parliament has opted to continue with the constitutional debate. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is currently on an official state visit to Eritrea.

The constitutional review process, ongoing for years, requires support from two-thirds of the bicameral parliament to be ratified. With the latest opposition, the government’s ability to secure the necessary votes for passage remains uncertain, casting doubt on the Saturday deadline set by the Speaker of Parliament.

For the Parliament to pass the constitution review, it will need two-thirds of 275 members of the lower house (184 parliamentarians) and two-thirds of 54 members of the Senate (36 senators).