Somalia’s Supreme Court has ruled that constitutional changes extending President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term cannot apply to his current mandate, which expired in May. The court ordered political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and hold elections within 90 days.
The decision, issued on Thursday, November 5, challenges the one-year extension approved by parliament in March. The court’s ruling was reported by the BBC and Garowe Online.
The court also declared null and void Mohamud’s dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, announced a day before the ruling. It said the president did not have the authority to remove the chief justice and that the move could only be made through established constitutional procedures.
The presidency said Ahmed’s removal followed complaints about the administration of justice and was intended to create a fair and transparent judiciary. The court rejected that explanation.
Disputed election timetable
Somalia’s electoral commission has scheduled parliamentary elections for April 15, 2027, followed by a presidential vote a month later. Opposition groups and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland reject that timetable. The court’s 90-day election order puts the existing schedule in doubt.
Mohamud has called national talks for November 14 to 18 to resolve the political deadlock. Opposition leaders have questioned whether he has the legitimacy to convene them. Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed urged the president to pursue a consensus-based approach after the ruling.
Mohamud has defended the constitutional reforms as a step toward fully democratic elections, replacing the clan-based system in which elders select representatives. Somalia last held nationwide direct elections in 1969.
Nicole French