Somali Supreme Court Rejects President's Extended Term, Orders Elections in 90 Days

Somalia's Supreme Court has ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's mandate expired in May 2026 and directed elections within 90 days, according to the Associated Press and two Somali news organisations reporting on the court's 5 November decision. The reported ruling challenges the government's view that constitutional changes allow the president to remain in office until 2027.

The court's five-member Constitutional Division held that amendments lengthening presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five did not expressly extend the mandates of officials already serving, Garowe Online and Somalia Today reported. The judges said the president's term expired on 15 May 2026, while parliament's and the federal government's mandates ended on 14 April.

What the ruling changes

According to those reports, judges ordered election stakeholders to agree on a workable electoral framework within 30 days and conduct elections within 90 days. The court described the government's remaining authority as limited to routine caretaker administration. The decision did not name a replacement president or say what would happen if the election deadlines were missed.

The ruling followed a challenge brought by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The court reportedly rejected his challenge to the constitutional amendment procedure on standing grounds, but accepted his separate argument that the extended terms could not automatically apply to sitting officeholders. The distinction means the court did not declare every constitutional amendment invalid.

Presidency and chief justice

A separate confrontation over judicial independence sharpened the dispute. The presidency announced the removal of Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed on 4 November, citing complaints about court administration and a need for judicial reform. The court rejected that dismissal as unconstitutional, the Associated Press reported. The presidency had not responded to the term ruling by the time AP published its 6 November report.

The election commission previously set parliamentary voting for 15 April 2027 and the presidential election for 15 May 2027, according to Somalia Today. That schedule is at odds with the court's reported 90-day instruction. Opposition groups and federal member-state leaders have also disputed the government's electoral arrangements. A judicial order does not by itself establish that the institutions involved will implement it.

AP said it reviewed a five-page judgment. TFNOS has not obtained the signed judgment independently, so this account attributes its details to AP and separately published local reports rather than claiming original examination of the document. Allegations of troops around the court are not treated as verified facts.

The immediate questions are whether the presidency and election commission will accept or contest the decision, whether parties reach an agreement within 30 days, and whether a signed ruling and any implementation orders become publicly accessible. TFNOS will follow official responses and material changes to the electoral timetable.