Federal Parliament Approves New Constitutional Review Procedures

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: A joint session of the Federal Parliament this afternoon unanimously approved procedures for the amendment of the Provisional Constitution.

The lawmakers sitting in Mogadishu endorsed the procedures that will guide the review of the provisional constitution, which was adopted by parliament in 2012. Several review processes have taken place since then but have yet to yield a final document.

According to the procedures, an amendment to the constitution will require the endorsement of two-thirds of lawmakers from both the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament.

The procedure also requires the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC) with the support of the Parliament Constitutional Review Committee, to seek the views of various stakeholders within a period of 30 days on contentious issues.

This includes the President, Supreme and Constitutional Courts, Federal Government, Federal Member States, FMS Parliaments, the newly approved SSC-Khatumo Administration, Somali Scholars, Banaadir Regional Administration, Civil Society, and other special interest groups.

Further, the procedures note that the constitution will have to be subjected to a referendum in Somalia and the break-away region of Somaliland before it is formally promulgated as the substantive supreme law.