Sharif Sheikh Ahmed challenges Somalia’s constitutional changes in Supreme Court
The former president says he asked Somalia’s Supreme Court to overturn constitutional amendments that extended political terms, as he disputes the timetable for 2027 elections.
Former Somali president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said on 15 October that he had petitioned Somalia’s Supreme Court to overturn constitutional amendments, bringing a dispute over political terms and the 2027 election timetable before the country’s highest court. He said he submitted the petition on 11 October and the court received it on 12 October.
Sharif is asking the court to annul the steps taken to amend Somalia’s Provisional Constitution and decisions arising from them. Somalia Today reported that the changes extended presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five, allowing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to remain in office until 2027.
Why Sharif is challenging the amendments
Sharif argued that the amendments should have followed the special procedure in Chapter 15 of the Provisional Constitution and said that procedure was not followed. According to Dawan Africa, he also denied that an agreement had been reached on the changes. His account of the petition’s filing and receipt comes from his statement; a court hearing date or ruling has not been reported.
Dawan Africa reported that the Chapter 15 procedure includes safeguards for the independence of bodies overseeing constitutional review, including the Oversight Committee and the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission. Sharif called on the Supreme Court to consider his challenge independently and fairly.
How the dispute affects the 2027 elections
Somalia Today reported that the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced elections for both houses of parliament on 15 April 2027, followed by a presidential vote on 15 May. Sharif, whom the outlet identifies as leader of the opposition Somali Future Council, called the timetable one-sided and warned that it could lead to parallel polls, political divisions and civil conflict.
The federal government argues that the constitution approved in 2026 provides the legal basis for one-person-one-vote elections, a multiparty system and an electoral commission, Dawan Africa reported. The outlet said opposition groups and the federal member states of Jubaland and Puntland reject both the constitution and the election schedule.
Sharif also called for international help to resolve the political dispute, saying it threatened Somalia’s stability and that of the wider region, according to Dawan Africa. His request places the constitutional challenge alongside the disagreement over when and under what rules the next elections should take place.
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Sources and context
- Sharif challenges Somalia constitution, rejects election datesSomalia Today
- Somali Ex-President Files Supreme Court Petition to Nullify Constitutional AmendmentsDawan Africa
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.