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Somali opposition to draft Constitution intensifies – Mayor joins

July 7, 2012 · 316697 Comments2012-07-07+06%3A30%3A03Qalinle+Hussein

MOGADISHU — The Mayor of Mogadishu Mohamed Ahmed Noor spoke out against the nation’s draft constitution, joining a growing opposition on Friday who denounce the document in the capital.

Mr Noor, who is also the Governor of Banadir region, said he was not sure if the constitution was for the Somali people or whether it had personal agenda.

“When we are drafting a document for the public, it is so vital to define how they want to be governed. It should avoid being the works of few individual craftsmen,” he told VOA Somali Services.

The Governor insisted the draft text was hijacked by individual office holders, who claim to be acting on behalf of the nation. He said the draft should be a national exercise that outlines the nation’s will and its aspiration. He added people seeking opportunities robbed the draft paper from the independent panel that drafted the constitution for eight years.

Mr. Noor cited the one issue that has ignited the most anger in Mogadishu: the Capital (seat) of the Federal Government is undetermined under the new text.

“Mogadishu is not the capital under this text, the place that unified the Somali people. Changing the capital would translate to dissolving the Somali nation,” he argued.

He downplayed any intentions to mobilize his followers to prepare any campaign to defeat the constitution but he called on the government to be clear of its motives.

He emphasized that denying Mogadishu as the nation’s capital, the constitution is dissolving the thin symbolic glue that holds Somalia together.

International donors this week said stressed that the new constitution must guarantee the freedom of religion in the east African country while reminding its leaders to end the transition by 20.

A group of elders, 135 in total, are in the process of selecting a National Constituent Assembly who will ratify the new draft constitution in Mogadishu.

Somalilandpress

July 7, 2012

Follow @somalilandpress

By Qalinle Hussein

Tags: Capital, draft constitution, mayor, Mogadishu, Somalia, Tarzan

Jabuutawi says:

Here in my temporary "home" we call it Monday morning quarterbacking. In other words, hind-sight is always 20/20. Where were all these politician while the constitution was drafted? I am no politician but if my bread and butter is political obfuscation and discourse, I'd make darn sure I voice my opinion about the constitution well before the drafting stage. Expressing your displeasure now is equivalent to letting the horse out the barn and lamenting about what could've, should've and would've happened.

12:57 am on July 7, 2012

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Kayse says:

The capital rift will not be solved today or tomorrow. The capital is not something even the majority of residents in Mogadishu want because they are tired of Somalis pointing fingers at them for everything that goes wrong in Somalia.

A possible solution is the way that I proposed; Executive capital, Judicial Capital and Legislative capital — we must not place our eggs in one basket and put pressure on one place and focus infrastructure on one place and expect not to have oppositions.

If today they put Mogadishu the capital, those opposed to it will grow in numbers; a win-win solution is dividing the three branches of government in three main areas of Somalia.

It is also good in the time of a coup; its hard to take out three place simultaneously.

Mogadishu was the capital and if it united Somalis as Tarzan claims, then why do we have so many foreign troops next to his house?

1:02 am on July 7, 2012

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- mo ahmed says:
  
  I have been arguing This issue with some folks for sometime now. I was born raised educated in mogadishu i don’t know any other city in somalia put mogadishu.
  
  somalis should dress Their real problem and start reconciliation in every part of somalia,becuase The civil car was not only confine in one or two areas.
  
  The main reason mr tarsan oppossed This constitution is artical9 it doesn’t say mogadishu should capital of somalia This has nothing to do with south or north. today in somalia it’s not only south or north There are also north east-central-south west of somalia.
  
  Mogadishu it self claim by one tribe happen to live mogadishu surrounding area. not bad idea executive capital mogadishu judicial captital bosaso legislative capital hargeisa, put what about jubaland which has two million population abandon natural resources gas & oil, ocean river farmland and have good access business in east-africa.
  
  in my opinion somalis need new capital They can choice The land space They have near coast line, once They decide Than every clan in somalia should sing no tribe can claim That city WITH PRESENCE OF IC. The new capital should be small well design sits goverment and The foreign dignatories also must not allow to become bussiness hub.
  
  2:56 am on July 7, 2012
  
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wanlaweyn says:

kkkk no body can stop this constitution. i like mr tarzan for how he is repairing mogadishu piece by piece but the time for looma dhama is finished. smell the coffee everybody. this train is leaving and will not stop untill august. if you are not aboard. you will be disadvantaged forever. somalia is back and even even will

4:13 am on July 7, 2012

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mohamed cheers says:

This constitution is about southern Somalia all inclusive roadmap treaty signatories.
It has nothing to do with de jure Northern Somaliland Republic which already has a permanent
constitution of their own of 2001. The Mayor of Mogadiscio's criticism is valid and should be taken into
consideration by those dealing with the new Constitution. The new Constitution shouldn't be
allowed to be hi-jacked by Puntland to suit their political means and deprive the Capital from
Mogadiscio?

5:33 am on July 7, 2012

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PuntlandGeezer says:

the days wen the minorty abgals used to rule somalia is long overdue, Garowe is the new capital of somalia & puntland will never bow down to the small village in mogadishu.

2:55 pm on July 7, 2012

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Gobaad Siyaad says:

How about Berbera(Washington D.C.) as the capital of the federal government and Mogadishu(New York) as the commercial capital of the republic? So somali maryooleey would not line up as always to rely on government handouts and would learn to rely first on their God given capacity.

7:46 pm on July 7, 2012

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