Somalia: Somali Opposition Accuses President of Using Force to Seize Supreme Court

What the report says

Somalia’s opposition alliance, the Somali Future Council, has accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of using security forces to take control of the Federal Supreme Court, according to Shabelle via AllAfrica. The coalition, led by former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and made up of several former national leaders, said the move amounted to an attack on judicial independence and an effort to pressure judges and the former chief justice.

The dispute centers on a ruling that challenged the legal basis for the current terms of the president, parliament and the federal government. The court decision, cited in the report, said those mandates had expired and called for an electoral framework within 30 days, with elections to follow within 90 days. That position directly conflicts with the government’s view that constitutional amendments passed in March allow the current leadership to remain in office until 2027.

The confrontation intensified after Mohamud removed Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed on November 4 and named Ibrahim Idle Suleiman as his replacement. The Supreme Court later said the dismissal did not follow required constitutional procedures and was therefore invalid. The presidency had said the chief justice was removed over complaints about judicial administration and the need for reform. The broader row adds to Somalia’s political uncertainty, with opposition figures urging talks on elections and warning of further instability.