Somalia’s political crisis has intensified after opposition leaders accused President Mohamed Abdi Farmajo of deploying troops to detain the chief justice of the Supreme Court. The allegations follow a recent tribunal decision that declared the president’s bid to extend his term unlawful.
The Supreme Court’s ruling, issued earlier this week, found that the constitutional amendment used to prolong Farmajo’s mandate did not comply with Somalia’s legal framework. The decision effectively nullified the president’s claim to remain in office beyond the end of his elected term.
Opposition parties responded by alleging that the president ordered security forces to arrest the chief justice, a move they described as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary and overturn the court’s verdict. They called the alleged deployment a breach of the separation of powers enshrined in the Somali constitution.
The accusations have deepened existing political tensions, with analysts warning that the standoff could further destabilise a country already grappling with security challenges and fragile governance. Both the executive and judicial branches have thus become focal points of a growing power struggle.
Somalia, a federal parliamentary republic in the Horn of Africa, has a history of contested elections and disputed term limits. The current dispute underscores the delicate balance between the presidency and the judiciary, and highlights the broader challenges of upholding constitutional order in the nation.
<small>Source: Africanews — read the original story there.</small>
