Politics · Other · 1 hr ago
Somalia's Supreme Court rules president's term extension unlawful
Somalia’s Supreme Court ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term extension was unlawful.
His term ended in May, but his government said constitutional changes allowed him to stay in office for another year.
The court said those changes could not apply to his current term.
It also ruled that the dismissal of Chief Justice Ahmed was invalid, saying he could only be removed under constitutional procedures.
The presidency said the dismissal was intended to improve the administration of justice.
The court rulings have left Somalia’s election timetable uncertain.
The electoral commission has scheduled parliamentary elections for 15 April 2027 and a presidential vote a month later, but opposition groups and the Puntland and Jubaland administrations reject the timetable.
Mohamud has called national talks for 14 to 18 November, though opposition leaders question his authority to convene them.
The political dispute is unfolding as Somalia faces an al-Shabaab insurgency.
Uganda has announced plans to withdraw its troops from the African Union mission, but accounts differ on whether the withdrawal is planned by the end of this year or next year.
Somalia’s Supreme Court ruled that constitutional changes extending President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term could not apply to his current term.
The court said Mohamud should have left office in May, when his term ended.
The ruling deepened a political crisis over the country’s election timetable and the independence of the judiciary.
The court also declared the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed null and void.
Opposition groups and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland reject the planned election timetable.
- Who
- Somalia’s Supreme Court and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
- What
- The court ruled that constitutional changes extending Mohamud’s current term were unlawful.
- When
- Thursday; the articles were published on 5 and 6 November 2026.
- Where
- Somalia.
- Why
- The court said the constitutional changes could not be applied retrospectively to Mohamud’s current term.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Supreme Court and opposition
Term extension
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Mohamud said the extension was legal under constitutional amendments passed in March.
Supreme Court and opposition
The court ruled the amendments did not apply to his current term; opposition groups called the move a power grab.
Chief justice’s dismissal
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
The presidency said the dismissal followed complaints about the administration of justice and aimed to achieve a just and transparent judiciary.
Supreme Court and opposition
The court declared the dismissal null and void and said the chief justice could only be removed through constitutional procedures.
Constitutional amendments that Mohamud cited as legal grounds for his term extension were passed.
Mohamud’s presidential term ended, according to Africanews.
Mohamud dismissed Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed.
The Supreme Court ruled the constitutional changes could not apply to Mohamud’s current term and declared the chief justice’s dismissal null and void.
- President
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
- Chief justice
- Bashe Yusuf Ahmed
- Term ended
- May
- Parliamentary elections
- Scheduled for 15 April 2027
- Presidential election
- Scheduled for a month after the parliamentary elections
3 sources
What people are saying
the country is facing a grave political crisis
Somalia stands at a dangerous juncture. The dismantling of our judiciary is a direct threat to the rule of law