The East African Lawyers Association Sends a Strong Letter to Hassan Sheikh, Demanding That...

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The East African Law Society (EALS) has called on the President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to respect and comply with the decisions of the Supreme Court of Somalia.

EALS expressed concern over actions they claimed threaten the independence of the judiciary in Somalia, accusing President Hassan Sheikh of taking steps that interfere with the independence of judicial institutions.

The organization also noted the removal of the Chairman of the Supreme Court, Bashir Yusuf Ahmed, and threats directed at some judges, issues they described as potentially causing significant concern for the independence of the judiciary.

The decision of the Supreme Court of Somalia last week sparked a new political crisis after the court stated that the term of the president of the federal government and both houses of parliament had expired, as it had been four years.

The court also urged the relevant parties in the election to reach a consensus agreement on the electoral process within 30 days, while the election itself should be held within 90 days.

The main contentious issue was also the decision by President Hassan Sheikh to remove the Chairman of the Supreme Court, Bashir Yusuf Ahmed, which the court described as illegal.

As this conflict between government institutions and the judiciary persists, the call from EALS comes at a time when political discussions are ongoing regarding the dispute arising from the new constitution and the electoral process in the country.

Last night, a sensitive meeting took place in the city of Mogadishu between the security agency leaders of the government and opposition members, during which an understanding and preliminary outcome was reached regarding the issues discussed by both sides concerning the country's security.

The meeting, which was held at the residence of the former Prime Minister of the country, Mohamed Hussein Roble, was attended by the leaders of NISA, the police, the national army, and the chairman of the military court on behalf of the government.

On the opposition side, the former President of Somalia, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, two former prime ministers, and members of parliament participated in the meeting.

As reported by Caasimada Online, both sides agreed during the meeting to avoid politicizing security and to jointly combat the terrorist groups Al-Shabaab and Daesh, with a unified approach.

Additionally, there was consensus on the election agreement, with both sides agreeing that the country should hold elections based on consensus and political understanding, as well as building trust and cooperation between the two sides.