This is a continuation of my OpEd article “Why the 1961 Framework is Somalia’s Path to True Sovereignty” in Eurasia Review dated March 8th, 2026. The current political impasse between Somalia’s Federal Government and the opposition and the friction between the center and the Federal Member States, is not merely a disagreement over policy; it is a fundamental crisis of legitimacy. The 2012 Provisional Constitution, while a necessary stopgap at its inception, has become a source of permanent transition. Because it was never ratified by a national referendum and remained a “work in progress,” which lacks the moral and legal gravity required to command the absolute loyalty of all Somali stakeholders. The constitution approved on March 4th, 2026, also lacks broad political consensus. Rather than serving as a neutral framework for governance, it is viewed as a partisan document structured to consolidate power for the current administration and disproportionately favors the incumbent political class. It is why it is necessary to  look backward to the 1961 Constitution  to find a path forward in order to stop this continuing bickering in the current corrupt political class.

The current debate is entrenched in a zero-sum struggle over power-sharing. While the central government advocates for increased authority to address economic and security challenges, regional leaders........

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