Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed the country’s new constitution into law on Sunday at the Presidential Palace, a move hailed by the federal government as a historic step toward permanent governance but condemned by opponents as a power grab.
The signing ceremony, attended by the speakers of both houses of the Federal Parliament, followed the bicameral legislature’s approval of the amendments on March 4. Parliamentarians voted unanimously in a session broadcast live, with 222 lawmakers endorsing the changes that replace the provisional 2012 constitution adopted during the transitional period.
President Mohamud framed the document as essential for transitioning Somalia from decades of provisional rule to a stable federal system, stating it would steer the nation “toward political stability” with immediate effect. Key provisions include direct public election of lawmakers, parliamentary election of the president, a two-term limit for the presidency, and formal recognition of federal, state, and local government tiers. Candidates for senior posts must be Somali by birth, without dual citizenship or marriage to foreigners, and both parents must be Somali.
Yet the process has sparked a fierce backlash. Regional states like Puntland and Jubaland, along with opposition figures in the Council for the Future of Somalia—including Puntland President Said Abdullahi Dani and Jubaland’s Ahmed Mohamed “Madobe”—boycotted the vote, decrying it as unilateral and lacking national consensus. Critics allege the amendments expand presidential powers, limit parliament’s role, and could extend Mohamud’s term while delaying elections originally slated for later this year.
Puntland lawmakers claimed they were barred from fulfilling duties or traveling, calling it a violation of rights, while South West State representatives joined the opposition bloc in separate meetings. The rift deepens longstanding tensions between the federal government and federal member states, compounded by disputes over the “one person, one vote” electoral model Mohamud champions.
Speaker Adan Mohamed Nur described March 4 as a “historic day” for formalizing the legal framework after 13 years of debate. Federal officials maintain the constitution strengthens institutions, promotes equality, and ends clan-based elder selections for parliament.
