In the heart of the Horn of Africa, a constitutional crisis is unfolding—one not born of ideology, but of unrestrained executive power and blatant disregard for the rule of law. The Somali federal government, once buoyed by promises of reform and national renewal, now stands accused of gross constitutional violations, political manipulation, and institutional sabotage. What we are witnessing is not mere governance failure, but a dangerous dismantling of the very foundations of democratic accountability.
Land Sales Cloaked in Secrecy
One of the clearest examples of this government’s contempt for legality is the secretive sale of state-owned land. These transactions, executed without parliamentary oversight or public bidding, flout constitutional procurement requirements and benefit a shadowy network of political insiders and foreign interests. The lack of transparency is not only unlawful—it is emblematic of a regime willing to treat national assets as personal property.
Land, the most tangible expression of sovereignty and heritage, is being bartered behind closed doors, with the Somali people left in the dark.
Displacement Without Justice
These murky land deals have come at a devastating human cost. In major urban centers, thousands of citizens—often the poorest and most vulnerable—have been forcibly evicted from their homes without compensation or resettlement. Among those displaced are the wives and children of military personnel currently deployed to the frontlines, bravely fighting against Al-Shabaab in defense of the country. These families, left behind without protection or notice, have suffered doubly—first through the absence of their loved ones, and again through forced eviction. These displacements are not just administrative failures; they are constitutional violations. By ignoring the rights to shelter and property, the government has revealed a callous indifference to the very citizens it claims to serve. Social justice, once a cornerstone of national recovery, has become collateral damage in a campaign of profit and political expediency.
Constitutional Sabotage
Perhaps most egregious is the administration’s unilateral amendment of four chapters of the federal constitution. This act—conducted without parliamentary approval or public consultation—is an affront to the legal order of the republic. It represents executive overreach at its most extreme, reducing the constitution to a pliable document shaped by political whim rather than national consensus. In doing so, the government has undermined the supremacy of the law and set a precedent that endangers the entire democratic experiment.
Politicization of State Institutions
The transformation of the National Consultative Council (NCC) into a de facto political party exemplifies how state institutions are being bent to serve narrow political interests.
Originally designed as a neutral forum for federal dialogue, the NCC’s descent into partisan politics not only violates its founding principles but also distorts the balance of federal power. When consultative bodies become instruments of political domination, the legitimacy of federalism itself is called into question.
Electoral Interference
Any hope for democratic renewal is further dimmed by the government’s manipulation of the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC). The commission, once tasked with safeguarding electoral fairness, is now riddled with allegations of partisanship and illegal restructuring. The result is a profound crisis of credibility. No election can be deemed free or fair when the body overseeing it functions as an extension of the ruling party’s agenda.
Diplomatic Confusion, Strategic Chaos
Somalia’s foreign policy, once guided by hard-won principles of sovereignty and regional cooperation, has become a tangle of contradictions. The government’s alignment with Egypt over the Nile clashes with its security and infrastructure engagements with Ethiopia, despite ongoing territorial disputes. Meanwhile, deals with Turkey, the UAE, and Eritrea add to a growing sense of diplomatic incoherence. The absence of a coherent strategy not only weakens Somalia’s position abroad but also fuels internal instability.
A Crisis of Legitimacy
The combined effect of these actions is a collapse in public trust. Across the nation, citizens perceive a government more interested in consolidating power than delivering governance. The erosion of faith in state institutions is not abstract—it manifests in disengagement, disillusionment, and in some quarters, resistance. A state that governs without consent quickly loses its moral authority.
International Fallout
This legitimacy crisis has not gone unnoticed by the international community. Once hopeful partners are now wary of investing in a regime that disregards democratic norms. Aid, investment, and diplomatic goodwill are beginning to dry up—not due to lack of need, but because of a lack of trust. Somalia’s global standing is at risk, not from foreign plots, but from domestic failure.
Repression in Place of Representation
Instead of responding to criticism with reform, the government has increasingly turned to repression. Journalists face intimidation, opposition figures are silenced, and security forces are deployed not to protect the public but to shield the regime. State institutions—once vehicles of development—are now tools of control. This weaponization of governance marks a descent into authoritarianism that must alarm every citizen and partner committed to Somali democracy.
Conclusion: A Call for Accountability
The current administration stands at a crossroads: continue down the path of illegality and repression, or restore the constitutional order and rebuild public trust. The choice, and its consequences, will define Somalia’s political future. The Somali people deserve leadership anchored in law, guided by principle, and accountable to the citizens it serves. Anything less is not governance—it is rule by coercion.
By: Mohamed Musse
Political Analyst and Former Head of International Relations of the Federal Election Implementation Team (FEIT) 2021-2022.
