Somalia’s parliament voted to change its constitution and extend the term in office for lawmakers and the president, the president and the parliament’s speaker, pushing back planned elections by a year.
Somalia has endured conflict and clan battles with no strong central government since the fall of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
While an African Union peacekeeping mission has pushed back the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group, it still controls vast areas of the countryside and has the ability to conduct regular strikes on major population centres.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had reached a deal last August with some opposition leaders stipulating that, while lawmakers would be directly elected in 2026, the president would still be chosen by parliament.
Somali parliament approves constitution change to extend term limits
Categories: