MOGADISHU, Somalia (Caasimada Online) – Prominent Somali opposition leaders are issuing fresh warnings against attempts to extend the president’s mandate and have launched a vigorous campaign to block efforts to change the constitution.
The proposed changes, currently considered by the Federal Parliament, would allow the current leader to remain in office for an additional year beyond the four-year term limit. The move has sparked criticism from the opposition, who argue that it could lead to civil unrest in a country with a history of instability.
Despite having served for eight months, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has already faced widespread criticism from the opposition for advocating for constitutional changes that could potentially trigger civil unrest in the long-troubled Horn of Africa nation.
Opposition coalition fired opening shots
The development presents his administration with an early political challenge by an opposition coalition that has fired its opening shots in what appears to be the beginning of a political challenge over the proposed changes to the provisional constitution in the coming months.
According to the opposition, the proposed amendments would allow Mr. Mohamud, who was elected as the president for the second time in May last year who had largely campaigned around his opposition to a presidential term extension by his predecessor Mohamed Farmajo to ‘unlawfully’ extend his term and that of the parliament by more one year respectively.
“Neither the nation nor the Somali populace would benefit from the repercussions of an illegal term extension. Failure to reassess this decision would undoubtedly impede the progress of state-building efforts,” tweeted former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire
Security worsening in Mohamud’s watch
Since he came to power, Mr. Mohamud’s government has faced a host of accusations ranging from failure in security amid a spike in attacks by militants and gang violence, with many saying that the insecurity has worsened significantly since last year.
In 2022, which marked the first year of President Mohamud’s term in office after his reelection in May, the country witnessed a catastrophic situation for its civilians—according to the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, Somalia experienced its highest civilian casualty rates since 2017.
This spike in fatalities was caused mainly by Al-Shabab, a jihadist group fighting an insurgency against the fragile central government for the past 15 years. During the review period from late August 2022 to early February 2023, the UN mission in Somalia recorded a 153 percent surge in civilian casualties, reaching 1,059, including 382 deaths.
Corruption allegations
In addition to the unraveling security and political struggles Somalia faces now are corruption scandals and public spats involving shadow deals by ministers, compounding the crisis that continues to sap the government’s public confidence.
The corruption allegations involving several state institutions and ministries marked a slap in president Mohamud’s face and spelled him more troubles that could cost him in the eyes of the international donors backing Somalia amid hopes for the long-anticipated debt relief.
However, according to the IMF and the World Bank, Somalia must first take the necessary steps to begin receiving debt relief that would allow it to lower its $5.2 billion in external debt to around $557 million, with the need to continue economic reforms, such as improving public financial management and increasing domestic revenue.
“Neither the nation nor the Somali populace would benefit from the repercussions of an illegal term extension. Failure to reassess this decision would undoubtedly impede the progress of state-building efforts.”
