Somalia’s parliament erupts in chaos over constitutional amendments, session suspended
MOGADISHU — A joint session of Somalia’s bicameral parliament collapsed into disorder Wednesday as opposition legislators disrupted plans to debate sweeping constitutional amendments, triggering scuffles on the floor and forcing leaders to suspend proceedings.
- Opposition lawmakers protested proposed changes to five chapters of the Provisional Federal Constitution
- Clashes broke out between rival MPs; the session was suspended without debate or a vote
- Opposition figures accused the government of seeking to extend President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term and centralize power
- The Justice Ministry said consultations were held with all Federal Member States except Puntland State
Speaker of the House of the People Aden Mohamed Nur Madoobe struggled to open the joint sitting after chants and objections from opposition benches drowned out the agenda. The uproar escalated, and the Speaker eventually left the chamber as tempers flared.
Amid the melee, several MPs exchanged blows on the floor. Among those seen in the confrontation were Senator Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag and MP Hassan Firinbi, both elected from the Jubbaland regional state. Somalia’s minister of internal security was also involved as parliamentary security tried to restore order.
The session — called to debate and approve constitutional amendments — was effectively cancelled after the agenda was torn up by some opposition MPs, who accused the administration of rushing changes without a national consensus. They argued the proposals were aimed at entrenching executive authority and enabling an extension of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s mandate, claims the government has previously rejected.
The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on Tuesday dismissed allegations that consultations had not taken place, saying discussions on the proposed amendments were conducted with all Federal Member States except Puntland State, and that citizens in participating regions were engaged on the changes. The ministry did not detail the specific chapters under review but maintained that the process included stakeholder input.
The confrontation underscores widening political rifts over the direction and pace of constitutional reform — a long-delayed process central to clarifying power-sharing, governance structures and security responsibilities in Somalia’s federal system. Tensions have been particularly acute with Puntland State and Jubbaland, which have pushed back against what they see as federal overreach and a failure to build broad consensus before tabling changes in Mogadishu.
Opposition lawmakers said the government’s approach risked deepening mistrust at a critical moment for national security and state-building. Supporters of the amendments argue that updating the provisional charter is necessary to stabilize institutions, streamline governance and consolidate gains made in recent years against armed groups — arguments not directly addressed during Wednesday’s aborted session.
With the chamber adjourned amid chaos, it remained unclear when parliamentary leaders would reconvene the joint sitting or whether fresh talks with federal member states would be sought to defuse the standoff. There was no immediate timetable for resubmitting the agenda, leaving the status of the proposed five-chapter amendment package in limbo.
The breakdown inside the chamber comes as Somalia navigates sensitive political and security transitions and seeks to balance demands for stronger national institutions with the autonomy of federal member states. Without a clear path back to the table, the constitutional reform process — already fraught and years in the making — faces new uncertainty.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
