OMM Newsroom
Somalia’s Supreme Court has ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unlawfully extended his term, deepening a political crisis and a standoff between the presidency and judiciary, according to the BBC.
The court said on Thursday that Mohamud lacked authority to dismiss Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, whom he had removed a day earlier. It also ordered political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and hold elections within 90 days, potentially disrupting government plans for nationwide polls next year.
Mohamud’s four-year mandate expired in May. His administration extended it by a year through legal changes approved by parliament in March. Opposition groups accuse him of using the constitutional changes to prolong his rule, while the president says the reforms are needed to move Somalia towards fully democratic elections and replace the clan-based system in which elders choose representatives.
The court ruled that the constitutional changes could not be applied retrospectively to Mohamud’s current term. In a separate decision, it declared Ahmed’s dismissal “null and void”, saying the chief justice could be removed only through established constitutional procedures and accusing the presidency of interfering with judicial independence.
Mohamud appointed Ibrahim Idle Suleiman, who had previously held the position, to replace Ahmed. The presidency said the dismissal followed complaints about the administration of justice and was intended to achieve a just and transparent judiciary. The court rejected that explanation.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed welcomed the ruling, saying “the country is facing a grave political crisis” and urging Mohamud to take a consensus-based approach.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused the president on Thursday of deploying security forces to the Supreme Court and attempting to arrest its chief justice. Khaire described the move as an “assault on the Supreme Court”, according to AFP, and said: “Somalia stands at a dangerous juncture. The dismantling of our judiciary is a direct threat to the rule of law.”
AFP said it could not independently verify the reported deployment. Photographs circulating in Somali media appeared to show armed personnel inside the court compound.
Electoral timetable disputed
The court rulings have cast uncertainty over Somalia’s electoral timetable. The electoral commission has scheduled parliamentary elections for 15 April 2027 and a presidential vote a month later, but opposition groups and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland reject the timetable.
Mohamud has called for national talks from 14 to 18 November to resolve the deadlock. Opposition leaders have questioned his legitimacy to convene the discussions.
Security concerns
The political turmoil comes as Somalia continues to fight the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, which controls large parts of the countryside despite years of military operations.
Uganda, the largest contributor of troops to the African Union mission fighting the group, announced this week that it planned to withdraw its forces by the end of the year, adding to concerns about Somalia’s security.
