Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Abdelh
Published on 2024-03-30 19:24:00
Somalia’s parliament unanimously approved proposals to overhaul the country’s electoral system in order to reintroduce universal suffrage, a move that has received criticism from some politicians. Last March, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made a commitment to abolish the complex clan-based indirect voting system that had been in place for over fifty years in the troubled Horn of Africa nation.
The central government, along with four federal states, reached an agreement to introduce a one-person, one-vote system in local elections scheduled for June 2024. However, these proposals needed to be approved by parliament. On Saturday, lawmakers endorsed four out of the fifteen constitutional chapters that are set to be amended as part of the overhaul.
Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, president of the lower chamber of parliament, confirmed the unanimous approval by legislators from both houses. The remaining eleven chapters are yet to be voted on, according to Mahad Wasuge, head of the Somali Public Agenda think tank. Once these chapters are amended by parliament, the constitution will be put to a public vote.
Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, along with four former prime ministers, raised objections to the election overhaul plan last year. They criticized the process, citing the exclusion of some federal member states from the discussions. Farmaajo stated that the constitutional amendments were being implemented through an illegal process and would not be accepted by society.
Omar Mahmood, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, believes that the amendments are likely to exacerbate political tensions and further divide Somalia’s politics. Opposition groups are expected to rally against the changes, with some regions like Puntland likely to distance themselves from Mogadishu.
Somalia continues to grapple with conflict, chaos, natural disasters, and a brutal insurgency by Al-Shabaab jihadists. The country has not held nationwide one-person, one-vote elections since 1969 when Siad Barre took power. In May 2023, Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland conducted its first direct vote since 1969 during local council elections but reverted to a clan-based ballot for parliamentary elections in January.
The approval of the electoral system overhaul signifies a significant step towards implementing a universal suffrage system in Somalia. However, the process has been met with criticism from some politicians and analysts who warn of potential political tensions and divisions. Implementation of the amended constitution will be crucial in determining the future direction of Somalia’s political landscape.
Read the original article on Wardheer News
