Somalia's Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling declaring that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's extension of his term was unlawful, plunging the country deeper into a political crisis and intensifying a standoff between the presidency and the judiciary.
\nThe court's decision on Thursday came just a day after President Mohamud dismissed Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, a move the court said the president had no authority to make.
\nThe ruling also ordered political leaders to agree on an electoral plan within 30 days and to hold elections within 90 days, potentially disrupting government plans for nationwide polls next year.
\nBackground of the Crisis
\nPresident Mohamud's four-year mandate expired in May, but his administration extended it by a year through legislative changes approved by parliament in March. Opposition groups accuse him of using the constitutional amendments to prolong his rule, while the president insists the reforms are necessary to transition Somalia toward fully democratic elections, replacing the clan-based system in which elders select representatives.
\nOn Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional changes could not be applied retrospectively to the president's current term. In a separate decision, the court declared the chief justice's dismissal "null and void," accusing the presidency of interfering with judicial independence.
\nPresident Mohamud had appointed Ibrahim Idle Suleiman, who previously held the position, to replace Ahmed. The presidency said the dismissal followed complaints about the administration of justice and was intended to achieve a just and transparent judiciary. But the court rejected that explanation, insisting that the chief justice could only be removed through established constitutional procedures.
\nReactions and Escalation
\nFormer President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed welcomed the court ruling, saying "the country is facing a grave political crisis" and calling on Mohamud to embrace a consensus-based approach.
\nThe confrontation escalated on Thursday when former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused the president of deploying security forces to the Supreme Court and attempting to arrest its chief justice. Khaire described the move as an "assault on the Supreme Court," according to the AFP news agency.
\n"Somalia stands at a dangerous juncture. The dismantling of our judiciary is a direct threat to the rule of law," he said.
\nAFP said it could not independently verify the reported security deployment, although photographs circulating in Somali media appeared to show armed personnel inside the court compound.
\nElectoral Uncertainty and Security Concerns
\nThe rulings have thrown Somalia's electoral timetable into uncertainty. The electoral commission has scheduled parliamentary elections for 15 April 2027 and a presidential vote a month later, but opposition groups and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland reject the timetable.
\nPresident Mohamud has called for national talks from 14 to 18 November to resolve the deadlock, but opposition leaders have questioned his legitimacy to convene the discussions.
\nThe political turmoil comes as Somalia continues to battle the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, which controls large parts of the countryside despite years of military operations. Uganda, the largest contributor of troops to the African Union mission fighting the militants, announced this week that it planned to withdraw its forces by the end of the year, adding to concerns about Somalia's security.
