Somalia's Supreme Court voids presidential term extension

The Somali Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unlawfully extended his term of office.

The decision declares the constitutional changes used to prolong his mandate inapplicable to his current period in power.

Mohamud’s four-year mandate expired in May, but his administration secured a one-year extension through law changes approved by parliament in March.

The court also declared the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed null and void, stating the president lacked the authority to remove him.

The presidency argued the move followed complaints about the administration of justice, but the judiciary insisted the chief justice could only be removed through established constitutional procedures.

Mohamud appointed Ibrahim Idle Suleiman to replace Ahmed, a former chief justice, in an effort to maintain control over the bench.

The ruling requires political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and hold elections within 90 days.

This timeline conflicts with the electoral commission’s schedule for parliamentary votes on April 15, 2027, and a presidential vote one month later.

Opposition groups and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland already reject the existing timetable, complicating the path to nationwide polls.

Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused the president of deploying security forces to the Supreme Court and attempting to arrest the chief justice.

Khaire described the move as an assault on the Supreme Court and a direct threat to the rule of law.

The AFP news agency could not independently verify the reported security deployment, though photographs in Somali media showed armed personnel inside the court compound on Thursday night and Friday morning relative to the ruling date of November 6, 2026, the confrontation escalated as these reports spread among opposition leaders who questioned Mohamud's legitimacy to convene national talks scheduled for November 14 to 18.