Somalia’s Supreme Court Declares President’s Term Expired, Mandates Elections within 90 Days

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s ongoing political crisis intensified on Thursday when the Supreme Court declared that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term had expired and mandated that new elections be held within 90 days.

The ruling followed a day earlier when Mohamud removed the nation’s chief justice, and as of Friday the presidency had not issued a response.

The dispute escalated after the United Nations concluded its political mission a week ago, which had previously facilitated negotiations among rival leaders. With no replacement mediator in place, the election conflict—already marked by armed clashes in Mogadishu—remains unresolved.

In a five‑page decision reviewed by The Associated Press, the Supreme Court rejected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s argument that recent constitutional changes permitted him to stay in office until 2027.

The court held that Parliament’s vote to lengthen presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years did not grant incumbent officials an additional year in office. The judgment affirmed that the terms of current officeholders had already lapsed.

Judges ordered political leaders to finalize an election framework within 30 days and restricted the government to routine duties until a vote takes place. The court did not appoint an interim president nor outline consequences for missing the deadlines.

The presidency justified Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed’s removal by pointing to concerns over judicial administration and the necessity for reforms within the judiciary.

The Supreme Court overturned the dismissal, concluding that the president had breached the constitution and attempted to hinder the court’s examination of the term extensions.

Hiiraan Online reported on Friday that government forces had positioned themselves around the Supreme Court the previous day and that the chief justice was instructed to leave. The Associated Press was unable to confirm the account.

Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who initiated the legal challenge, praised the court’s decision and called on the incumbent president to enter into negotiations.

Adnan Abdi Ali, a political analyst with the Somali Center for Studies in Mogadishu, expressed skepticism about the ruling’s implementation, noting, “This decision is unlikely to be enforced, given the current electoral disputes.”

At the heart of the conflict is the method of choosing Somalia’s leaders. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud favors a shift to direct popular elections, moving away from the existing system where clan representatives select legislators, who then elect the president. Opposition figures and the regional governments of Puntland and Jubaland have contested his proposed constitutional and electoral reforms.

Under a bilateral security pact, Ugandan troops have been stationed in Somalia, assisting in the recapture and defense of territories threatened by the al‑Qaeda‑affiliated al‑Shabab insurgency.

African Union peacekeepers are slated to take over four key bases safeguarding Mogadishu, superseding Ugandan forces. However, it is uncertain which entity will secure the sites after the transition. Uganda has announced that its remaining troops, including AU peacekeepers, will withdraw by the end of 2027.

The militant group al‑Shabab continues to hold extensive rural regions and carries out attacks on Mogadishu and other urban centers.

Before the United Nations closed its political mission, Mohamed Husein Gaas, director of the Mogadishu‑based RAAD Peace Research Institute, cautioned that rival claims to authority could erode security cooperation. “Somalia could find itself confronting a political crisis without an agreed mechanism to contain it,” he said in remarks to the Associated Press.

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Associated Press writer Khaled Kazziha in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.

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