Somalia’s parliament gives nod to historic constitutional amendments
Somalia’s constitution underwent historical changes following a parliamentary vote on Saturday. Among the notable adjustments is the empowerment of the country’s president with the authority to appoint and dismiss a prime minister, Voice of Africa reported.
After weeks of intense deliberation, the bicameral federal parliament of Somalia ratified amendments to the initial four chapters of the nation’s provisional constitution.
During a joint session held in Mogadishu, legislators deliberated on each chapter individually before casting their votes on the comprehensive amendments proposed by the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC), according to Voice of Africa.
Speaker of the Lower House, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe, announced a substantial majority in favour of amending the constitution.
“A total of 212 members of the Lower House and 42 members of the Upper House supported the amendments, with no abstentions or rejections. Therefore, the amendment has been approved with a unanimous vote,” declared Madobe.
Hussein Idow, chairperson of the Constitutional Review Com
Somalia’s political landscape has been marked by discord between presidents and prime ministers, stemming from a complex interplay of historical, regional, clan-based, and ideological factors
mittee, elucidated that three provisions concerning religion in the draft would undergo further scrutiny.
“The decision to postpone the religion provisions aims to ensure their alignment with the
principles and values cherished by the Somali people,” Idow remarked.
“The provisional constitution has been under review for nearly a decade. Since 2012, three parliaments have attempted to amend it, but significant progress in finalising the review was made in late 2023. We extend our gratitude to the 11th parliament of Somalia for boldly undertaking these amendments,” added Idow.
A pivotal amendment in the ratified draft delineates the establishment of a president and a prime minister for Somalia. Under this provision, the president is granted the authority to appoint and remove the prime minister from office, thus replacing the previous requirement for the prime minister to secure a vote of confidence from parliament, thereby introducing more flexibility in the executive branch.
Somalia’s political landscape has been marked by discord between presidents and prime ministers, stemming from a complex interplay of historical, regional, clan-based, and ideological factors.
Since the inception of the presidential office in 1960, Somalia has witnessed nine official presidents. The recent four presidents, including the incumbent in his first term, have exercised the prerogative to dismiss a prime minister with parliamentary support.
Central to these disputes is the distribution of power and resources among various clans and regions within Somalia.
Constitutional experts assert that the perennial power struggles between the top offices are fundamentally rooted in the constitutional delineation of their roles.