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| The prime minister of Somali government Dr. Abdiwali Mohamed Ali. Photo by: Mustaqbal Radio |
"Today I am announcing that Somalia has a constitution, it is a historic
day, Today, the transitional period has ended, and it is the end of piracy
and terrorism. I thank all Somalis, the international community and anyone
who helped us to approve our constitution." said Abdiwali Mohamed Ali, Somalia's current prime minister. Somalia has been devastated by two decades of conflict and many major problems in every sector of the country. Of the 645 members of the constituent assembly present, 621 backed the document and 13 voted against, while 11 abstained. The special assembly for passing the constitution is chosen within traditional elders under a UN-backed process. Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the vote by the
National Constituent Assembly means that Somalia has ended its period of
transitional government.It remains as a historical event for the country as Somalia's leaders have adopted their first official new democratic constitution after 52 years since the last
nationally approved constitution of Somalia came into existence after independence from
Italy at 1960. The UN envoy in Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, said today that adoption of the constitution is an important day for the
country's peace process that has been going on for the past 21 years.
Two suicide bombers attempted to enter the venue before the vote to pass the draft but were shot and killed by security forces. The constitution which took some thing like eight years in the making, makes it clear and shine that Islamic law is the basis for Somalia's legal foundation. Further more no religion other than Islam can be practiced in Somalia and all laws must be compliant and according to the Islamic Shariah or Islamic law.The constitution is expected to be in place for five years and includes a human rights bill which protects the right to an abortion to save the life of the mother and bans the circumcision of girls in the country. Somalia has not had a powerful central government since 1991, when the
president was killed and the country collapsed into chaos.The new constitution will be provisional until approved through a national referendum. Under a United Nations-backed election plan, Somalia’s next leader will be voted in by parliament later this month. By this step UN hopes to transition Somalia to a country with a more representative form of government than before. Somalia has been characterized as a failed state and is one of the poorest and most violent states in the world.
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