Mogadishu, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has vowed not to back down from a contested constitutional review, despite growing criticism from his rivals. He insists that completing the process is key to stabilising politics, defining state powers, and advancing Somalia’s long-promised reforms.
On Sunday, the president closed Somalia’s first National Justice Conference in Mogadishu. He framed the review of the provisional constitution as a national project, not a personal power grab.
That stance has sharpened a dispute with former presidents and opposition leaders, who accuse him of using the process to strengthen the presidency at the expense of other institutions.
Hassan Sheikh argues that Somalia cannot continue to run its affairs under an unfinished charter while seeking investment and support from the world. A completed constitution, he says, would give the country a clear roadmap for governance and federalism. It would also prepare the ground for future elections based on one-person, one-vote.
“The constitution is the foundation of all our laws,” he said. “It protects our language, culture, religion, and every right that a citizen holds. We must honour the pledge we made and move it out of its temporary status into a completed, working charter.”
Background to the dispute
The latest phase of Somalia’s constitutional review burst into open crisis in March 2024, when parliament approved a first package of amendments. The changes were designed to replace the clan-based electoral system with direct voting, extend federal terms, and shift more power to the presidency.
Critics say the package goes far beyond tidying up the 2012 provisional charter. In their view, it reshapes the political system without enough consultation.
Puntland, the semi-autonomous region in the northeast, rejected the move and said it would no longer recognise the federal government. Its leaders also demanded that any new constitution be endorsed in a national referendum.
Former presidents and senior politicians have since lined up against the process, warning that it could widen the gap between Mogadishu and the federal member states. The current review has therefore become a test of how far the central government can push reforms without fracturing the fragile federal system.
Opposition backlash
Against that backdrop, the drive to finalise the constitution now lies at the heart of a broader political rift in Mogadishu. Opposition figures openly reject the current approach and warn that it could deepen mistrust at a sensitive moment for the country.
Many of them argue that major changes to the charter must come from broad consensus, not from the agenda of one administration. Moving too fast, they say, could reignite power struggles between state institutions and fuel tensions between the federal government and member states.
The president dismisses those concerns and insists that the goal is clarity, not centralisation. A completed constitution, in his view, would spell out the roles and limits of each branch of government. Clearer rules, he believes, would reduce the ambiguity that has pushed Somalia into repeated crises.
He also stresses that the charter should protect Somali identity and rights. By defining how federalism works and how power is shared, the document could create a more predictable political environment. Supporters say that would send a stronger signal to investors watching Somalia from afar.
Justice system overhaul
During the justice conference, Hassan Sheikh linked the constitutional review to a broader effort to strengthen the rule of law. He instructed the cabinet to accelerate key reforms to improve the courts and make justice more accessible across the country.
An independent, professional judiciary is one of the main pillars of state-building, security, and development, the president said. Public trust in government, he added, depends heavily on whether people believe courts can protect their rights and hold influential figures to account.
According to the president, the federal government has already begun steps to “federalise” the justice system. Those steps include building core institutions and clarifying how responsibilities will be shared between federal and state-level courts.
Officials say they want to strengthen judicial bodies at both levels while keeping them aligned under a single national framework.
To show progress, Hassan Sheikh pointed to cases in which Somalis accused of crimes fled abroad but later returned to face trial with the help of Interpol. Those extraditions, he argued, show that Somali judicial files now carry more weight with international partners. They also suggest that local courts are becoming better able to handle complex cross-border cases.
Security, jobs, and services
The president also tied institutional reforms to what he described as broader gains in security and development during his current term.
He says the government has made progress in improving security in Mogadishu and that the capital is slowly becoming safer and more attractive for business than in previous years.
Large construction projects form part of a push to create jobs for young people. The authorities have also backed the construction of sports grounds and airstrips across the country.
At the same time, the size of Somalia’s security forces has more than doubled since he took office, according to his account, while efforts continue to raise the quality of education.
In his remarks, Hassan Sheikh presented these changes as part of the same state-building puzzle, alongside constitutional and judicial reform. Stronger laws, better courts, and improved security, he argued, reinforce each other. Together, they are meant to rebuild citizens’ confidence in government.
Preparing for elections
Looking ahead, the president linked the constitutional review directly to Somalia’s long-delayed goal of holding nationwide, one-person-one-vote elections. For decades, the country has relied on indirect systems in which clan representatives and regional elites select most lawmakers.
Somalia will need clear rules and strong legal institutions before it can move to universal suffrage, he said. Courts must protect voters’ rights, resolve disputes, and ensure that every ballot is cast freely and in safety.
Hassan Sheikh warned that a shift towards direct elections without credible institutions could deepen mistrust and trigger new political crises.
For now, his determination to press ahead with the contested constitutional review suggests that the coming period will be crucial. The next steps will show whether Somalia can balance reform, consensus, and stability.
