Members of both houses of the Somali Parliament have unanimously approved the country’s new constitution.
The Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Madoobe), who chaired the meeting, announced that 222 members had approved the constitution, including 185 members of the House of the People and 37 senators from the Upper House. He said the vote was by majority, with no dissent or abstention.
“That is how the Somali constitution is valid. You have made a glorious history,” said Speaker Madoobe, describing the adoption of the constitution as one that is etched in the pages of the country’s history.
Officials and members of parliament who spoke at the parliamentary meeting described the approval as ending a long and transitional period. Lawyer Burhan Adan Omar, chairman of the Independent Constitutional Commission of the two Houses, said it was a historic day that marked the end of a long and important process, according to him, in the formation of statehood and the demarcation of powers between federal and state institutions.
The chairman of the Constitutional Review and Monitoring Committee of the two houses, MP Hussein Idow, also said that the 11th parliament was fortunate to complete the interim constitution.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Ma’alin, said that once the remaining procedures are completed, including the signature of the President and official publication, the constitution will officially come into force. He described this as a national step that takes the country out of the interim phase.
However, the ratification of the constitution comes at a time when some state governments and opposition politicians have already warned that this step could undermine unity and political dialogue. It is expected that in the coming hours, the opposition’s positions on the implementation of the new constitution will emerge.
