Somali speaker urges parliament to create constitutional court and define special status for Mogadishu

Somalia’s Upper House speaker on Tuesday urged lawmakers to accelerate judicial reforms and approve long-delayed legislation defining Mogadishu’s status as the capital. Speaker Abdi Hashi Abdullahi called for the creation of the High Judicial Service Council and the Constitutional Court, institutions he said are essential to establishing an independent judiciary and strengthening the rule of law. [ . . . ] The appeal revives a long-standing demand for a special law clarifying the capital’s authority, boundaries and relationship with the federal government. The 2012 provisional constitution recognized Mogadishu as the capital but left its final status unresolved until Parliament passed legislation — a step that has yet to be taken. [ . . . ] Hashi’s remarks also highlight growing pressure on Somalia to complete institutional reforms more than a decade in the making. Independent judicial bodies, including the Constitutional Court, remain unestablished, raising concerns over accountability and checks on executive power.
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