Somalia's top court rejects president's term extension amid political crisis
Somalia's Supreme Court ruled President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's one‑year term extension unlawful, sparking a political crisis and ordering elections within 90 days.
At a glance
- Somalia's Supreme Court ruled President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's one‑year term extension unlawful.
- The court ordered political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and hold elections in 90 days.
- The dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed was declared null and void by the court.
Somalia's Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's one‑year term extension is unlawful, deepening a political standoff between the presidency and the judiciary.
Mohamud's four‑year mandate expired in May, but his administration extended it by a year through parliamentary legislation passed in March, a move opposition groups say was designed to prolong his rule.
The court ordered political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and to hold nationwide elections within 90 days, casting doubt on the planned parliamentary vote for 15 April 2027 and the subsequent presidential election.
In a separate decision, the court declared the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed null and void, accusing the presidency of interfering with judicial independence, and reinstated former chief justice Ibrahim Idle Suleiman.
President Mohamud argues the reforms are needed to move Somalia toward full democratic elections and to replace the clan‑based selection system, while opposition figures accuse him of using constitutional changes to extend his power.
The tension escalated when former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire alleged that security forces were deployed to the Supreme Court and that the president attempted to arrest the chief justice, a claim the court rejected as an assault on judicial independence.
The political turmoil coincides with Somalia's ongoing battle against al‑Shabaab, which controls large rural areas, and with Uganda's announcement to withdraw its troops from the African Union mission by year‑end, further straining security.
The rulings have thrown the electoral timetable into uncertainty and prompted calls for national talks, though opposition leaders question Mohamud's legitimacy to convene them.
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- Why did the Supreme Court reject President Mohamud's term extension?
- Because the court said the one‑year extension was made without constitutional authority and cannot be applied retrospectively to his current term.
- What was the court's decision on the chief justice's dismissal?
- The court declared the chief justice's dismissal null and void, saying the president lacked power to remove him.
- When are the next elections scheduled?
- Parliamentary elections are set for 15 April 2027 with a presidential vote a month later, though the timeline is now uncertain.
