Somalia’s Attorney General has rejected a Supreme Court ruling on the country’s constitutional dispute, describing the decision as having “no legal basis” and threatening to pursue further legal action.
In a statement issued on November 6, the Office of the Attorney General challenged the court’s jurisdiction and questioned the legal standing of the petitioner, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The Attorney General accused the Supreme Court judges of violating established legal procedures, arguing that they failed to address objections submitted by the government before delivering their judgment.
The office further alleged that the court had exceeded its mandate by introducing issues that were not part of the original petition, effectively creating what it described as a new case.
The rejection came a day after the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling declaring that the mandates of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Parliament and the Federal Government had expired in 2026.
The court subsequently ordered that elections be conducted within 90 days, while also declaring the President’s dismissal of Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed null and void.
The Supreme Court further accused the presidency of attempting to obstruct proceedings relating to the constitutional dispute.
In its response, the Attorney General argued that the court should have first determined the government’s preliminary objections before proceeding with the substantive case.
It also accused the judges of violating the principle of fair hearing by failing to allow both parties to present and respond to legal arguments.
The statement further questioned the composition of the judicial panel, arguing that the Chief Justice should have presided over the proceedings in accordance with the court’s internal rules.
The Attorney General’s office maintained that the ruling did not serve the national interest or Somalia’s state-building efforts, insisting that it had no legal effect.
It concluded by pledging to take what it described as the appropriate legal steps in response to the judgment.
Meanwhile, the dispute has extended beyond the courtroom, with reports of heightened security around the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, government troops were reportedly deployed around the court premises, while Chief Justice Baashe was ordered to leave the building, according to a senior judge who spoke to BBC Somali.
The court’s official Facebook page, which had been used to publish its recent decisions, was also taken offline.
Opposition presidential candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame accused President Mohamud of deploying security forces to arrest the Chief Justice.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also criticised the reported deployment, accusing the President of interfering with the Supreme Court’s operations.
Khaire further alleged that the Chief Justice and lawyers were being pursued for arrest and that the court’s activities had been disrupted. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The Somali presidency had not publicly responded to the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Attorney General’s rejection or the allegations surrounding the deployment of security forces at the time of the reports.
The dispute has raised further questions about the separation of powers, judicial independence and the constitutional framework governing Somalia’s federal institutions.
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