Somalia has been plunged into fresh political uncertainty after the country’s Supreme Court ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s one-year extension in office was unlawful, escalating an ongoing constitutional dispute between the government and opposition leaders.
In a landmark ruling delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, the court declared that Mohamud’s four-year presidential mandate had expired on May 15, 2026, dismissing the government’s argument that constitutional amendments adopted earlier this year allowed him to remain in office until May 2027.
The court also ruled that the mandates of both houses of the Federal Parliament expired on April 14, 2026, meaning the extensions granted to the country’s elected institutions could not automatically apply to officials already serving in office.
The judges directed political stakeholders to reach an agreement on a workable electoral framework within 30 days and organise elections within 90 days.
The court further stated that the federal government could only continue operating as a caretaker administration, with its authority restricted to routine government operations pending an electoral agreement.
The ruling follows months of political disagreements over constitutional reforms passed by Somalia’s parliament in March 2026, which increased presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years.
Mohamud’s administration defended the changes as necessary to facilitate Somalia’s transition from the traditional clan-based indirect voting system to nationwide democratic elections based on universal suffrage.
However, opposition leaders and several regional administrations rejected the amendments, arguing that they were passed without sufficient political consensus and could allow the president to extend his stay in power.
The dispute previously triggered violent confrontations in Mogadishu in June, as rival political factions clashed over the proposed changes.
Tensions escalated further on Wednesday, November 4, when President Mohamud announced the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed and the appointment of a replacement.
The Supreme Court subsequently rejected the dismissal, describing it as null and void and arguing that the move was intended to obstruct proceedings in the constitutional case before the court.
There were also unconfirmed reports that the dismissed chief justice had been arrested.
The latest developments come as Somalia continues to grapple with a prolonged security crisis involving the Al-Shabaab militant group, alongside disagreements between the federal government and regional administrations over the country’s political future.
