Farmaajo warns of constitutional crisis as Parliament’s term ends

Wednesday April 15, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Tuesday sounded the alarm over what he called a dangerous political turning point for Somalia after the federal parliament’s mandate expired.

Farmaajo said the Federal Parliament’s term officially came to an end on April 14, 2026, under the Provisional Constitution, leaving the country without a newly elected legislature in place.

“The end of parliament’s mandate without the formation of a new parliament could create legal and governance chaos,” he said in a statement.

He said parliament remains the country’s main legislative and oversight body, warning that any weakening of its authority — or its absence altogether — could disrupt state institutions and place the constitutional order at risk.

Farmaajo also stressed that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud now has only 31 days left in his current term, a timeline that he said adds to the uncertainty surrounding the political transition. He called for immediate steps to organize transparent and credible elections to avoid disputes over legitimacy.

The former president urged federal leaders and political stakeholders to respect the constitution and safeguard the system of governance as Somalia seeks to avoid deeper instability.

His comments come as political tensions intensify over constitutional amendments passed by parliament before its term expired. The revisions would extend the mandates of federal institutions, including the presidency, from four years to five.

But Puntland State and Jubbaland state administrations, along with several opposition groups, have rejected the changes, saying they were adopted without broad national consensus and run counter to the spirit of the Provisional Constitution.