Washington——

Somalia on Saturday changed its constitution in a parliamentary vote that, among other things, gives the country’s president the power to appoint the prime minister.

After weeks of intense debate, Somalia’s two houses of federal parliament approved amendments to the first four chapters of the country’s interim constitution.

At a joint meeting in Mogadishu, MPs voted on each chapter separately and then on the overall amendments proposed by the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC).

Speaker of the House of Commons Sheikh Adan Mohamed Noor Madobe announced that an overwhelming majority of MPs support amending the constitution.

“A total of 212 members of the House of Commons and 42 members of the Upper House supported the amendment, with not one abstention or rejection. Therefore, the amendment has been passed by a unanimous vote.” Madobe said.

Hussein Ido, chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, said the three proposed articles related to religion in the draft will be further scrutinized.

“The decision to defer the religious provisions is aimed at ensuring that these provisions are consistent with the principles and values ​​of the Somali people,” he said.

“This interim constitution has been under review for nearly a decade. Starting in 2012, three parliaments attempted to amend it, but efforts to finally complete the review gained momentum in late 2023. Thank you to Somalia’s 11th Parliament for having the courage to proceed Amendment,” Ido said.

A key provision in the approved draft states that Somalia will have a president and a prime minister. The amendment would give the president the power to appoint and remove the prime minister, replacing the previous requirement that the prime minister receive a vote of confidence from parliament and allowing the executive branch greater flexibility.

The revised constitution provides for five-year terms for the constitutional bodies of government and stipulates that local state presidents be leaders.

It also established three political parties in the country, promoting a multi-party system.

Some political stakeholders, including former Somali presidents Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as well as Puntland state leaders, strongly oppose the amendment.

They expressed concern about the lack of consensus among political actors on these changes.

In February, ICRIC submitted proposed amendments to Parliament, focusing on the first four chapters. The amendments cover the age of maturity for girls and the criminalization of female genital mutilation. The approved amendments set the age of maturity at 15 and the age of responsibility at 18 – indicating that everyone under 18 should continue to be protected by juvenile justice standards.

But human rights groups say it could reinforce existing traditional norms forcing girls to marry at 15.

Human Rights Watch warned on Friday that the proposed constitution in its current form puts children at risk.

“This would put girls in particular at greater risk of child marriage, with consequences for their health, particularly reproductive health, access to education, and protection from other forms of abuse,” Human Rights Watch said.

“Somalia’s parliament should resist efforts to weaken the constitution’s protections for children, especially girls,” said Letitia Badr, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Somalia’s donors should pressure the government to deliver on its claims that it is taking significant steps to meet its international human rights commitments.”