Somalia draft constitution to go to referendum

Press TV
Sunday, August 05, 2012

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Somalia has endorsed a draft constitution that is set to replace an eight-year old Transitional Federal Charter that governed Somalia since 2004.

However contrary to many developed countries where people vote for or against the document through a referendum, in Somalia, 621 elders endorsed the draft that ended the Transitional period.

The draft is to be subjected to a nationwide referendum as soon as security improves. Press TV went round Mogadishu to see how the war and famine ravaged Somali people view the newly adopted constitution and whether they feel it’s the right document that will end the current situation.

Somali Muslim scholars and other religious groups have condemned the latest adoption of the draft document and have questioned the manner in which the process of obtaining a new constitution had been conducted by both the Somali constitution committee and the United Nations.

The religious groups also say the constitution is a project of the West and accuse the Somali leaders for failing to notice some of the contentious clauses in the draft that touch on critical matters like the religion of Islam.

Somalia Factions however say that the constitution can only be applicable once the Somali government and the Muslim clerics reach an agreement on the contentious clauses since Somalis share the same religion.

Somalia is set to have a permanent government with a new president by 20th August but it would be years until national popular elections can ever be held in the war torn nation and for now the country will be ruled by a selected rather than an elected parliament.

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