Somalia: Court Says President Term Extension Unlawful

What the report says

Somalia’s Supreme Court has ruled that the one-year extension of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term is unlawful, according to Daily Trust reporting distributed by AllAfrica. The decision comes after the government said Mohamud could remain in office for a “transition period” to prepare for nationwide democratic elections expected in April and May 2027.

The report says Mohamud’s original term ended in May, but his administration argued that constitutional amendments passed by parliament in March made the extension legal. Those amendments were boycotted by opposition parties and some regional leaders, and the court concluded they do not apply to his current term. The ruling also said he should have left office in May.

The dispute escalated further on Wednesday when Mohamud announced the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed and named a replacement. The presidency said the move was based on concerns about judicial efficiency and fairness, but the Supreme Court separately rejected the dismissal, saying it was intended to hinder the constitutional case before it. The article also noted unconfirmed reports that Ahmed had been arrested. The case matters because it underscores a major constitutional and political showdown in Somalia over election timing, the limits of executive power and the independence of the judiciary.