The Parliament of the Federal Republic of Somalia has officially approved amendments and the completion of the Federal Constitution following a joint session of the two houses of Parliament.
The Speaker of the House of the People, Aadan Mohamed Nur, announced that the completed constitution has officially come into force starting today, after members of parliament voted on the proposed constitutional amendments presented before the legislature.
The Speaker stated that the approval of the constitution represents an important step toward completing the country’s state-building process and implementing Somalia’s constitutional institutions.
Today’s parliamentary session, held in Mogadishu, was attended by 185 members of the House of the People and 37 senators from the Upper House. The lawmakers approved the constitutional amendments and completion provisions by a majority vote.
However, the process of finalizing the constitution has faced criticism and opposition from some political stakeholders. The federal member states of Puntland State of Somalia and Jubbaland State of Somalia had previously rejected the constitutional amendment process, arguing that it was not conducted through an inclusive political consultation.
Similarly, some opposition politicians based in Mogadishu described the procedure used to pass the amendments as lacking comprehensive national dialogue, warning that it could undermine political unity in the country.
Despite these concerns, the Federal Government and parliamentary leadership insist that completing the constitution marks a crucial stage in strengthening the federal system and building a functional state based on law and constitutional institutions.