By Goth Mohamed Goth
MOGADISHU,– Somalia’s federal parliament has approved a series of controversial constitutional amendments in a vote opposition leaders and regional states have condemned as illegitimate, threatening to reignite political tensions in the fragile Horn of Africa nation.
In a joint session held on Saturday, parliamentary officials announced that 223 lawmakers voted in favor of the revised constitution, with no votes recorded against. Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe, promptly declared the charter adopted and in full effect across the country.
“The Official Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia has been legally adopted,” Madobe told the chamber.
The approved revisions, covering chapters one through 15, are intended to clarify the division of powers between federal and state authorities and define institutional mandates. Government officials hailed the vote as a watershed moment in Somalia’s long-running state-building efforts, arguing that a permanent constitution is essential for future electoral reforms, including a planned transition to universal suffrage.
“A historic step for Somalia,” said Ali Mohamed Omar, state minister for foreign affairs and a member of parliament. “The revised constitution marks major progress in strengthening democratic institutions and moving the country beyond the long-standing provisional framework.”
Process Marred by Controversy
However, the ratification process has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and representatives from two of Somalia’s five semi-autonomous federal member states.
Lawmakers aligned with Puntland and Jubbaland, as well as those associated with the opposition Somali Future Council, boycotted the session entirely. They had repeatedly warned that the amendments were being rushed through without adequate consultation or consensus.
Critics have raised specific concerns about the conduct of the vote:
· Quorum Disputes: Multiple opposition sources alleged that the number of lawmakers present fell short of the constitutional threshold required for such fundamental changes. In a deeply disputed claim, critics said names of absent MPs were included in the final attendance roll. The parliamentary leadership has not released a verifiable roll-call vote to substantiate the official count.
· Opaque Deliberations: Lawmakers and civil society observers reported that the final draft of the amendments was not made available to all members or the public for adequate review before the vote. The weeks leading up to Saturday’s session were marked by heated procedural disputes that forced several sittings to be postponed.
Opposition and Federal States Reject Outcome
The ratification has exposed the deepest political divisions since Somalia adopted its provisional constitution in 2012, ending the transitional federal government period.
Leaders from Puntland and Jubbaland have rejected the process outright, arguing that fundamental changes to the federal structure require broad national consensus negotiated among all member states—not a unilateral parliamentary vote in Mogadishu.
“They are consolidating power in the executive branch,” said a senior opposition lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity. “This undermines the autonomy of the federal states and reverses the progress made toward genuine federalism.”
Opposition figures also dismissed the government’s argument that a permanent constitution is needed to facilitate a shift to direct elections. They contend that forcing through a divisive charter without consensus will deepen political instability and make credible elections less likely.
Government Defends Process
In response to the criticism, government officials have defended the amendments as lawful and necessary.
Information Minister Daud Aweis framed the move as a sovereign act of a functioning democracy. “The constitution is now adopted and will be implemented nationwide,” he stated.
Hussein Idow, chair of the joint Constitutional Review and Monitoring Committee, said the 11th parliament had fulfilled its core mandate by finalizing the document after years of delay.
However, with key federal states rejecting both the process and the outcome, the government’s declaration of nationwide implementation remains deeply uncertain. The standoff threatens to exacerbate the very political divisions Somalia can ill afford as it grapples with security challenges and a fragile humanitarian situation.
