By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 21 April 2026 Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre defended the five-year term in Somalia's new constitution Tuesday, noting that the 2012 charter also set five-years before changes.
Hamza said the provisional 2012 constitution took five years to draft and approve, but was later altered, cutting the term to four years.
“The 2012 constitution originally provided for a five-year term…, but it was later changed. The newly approved constitution clearly defines the term as five years,” said the Prime Minister.
He added that the new constitution removes the previous four-year term provision and ensures that the leadership term is five years, with no early termination.
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His remarks come amid ongoing political debate over term limits of government institutions and the implementation of the amended constitution, particularly as the country enters a transitional political phase ahead of planned elections.
The Somali government has previously stated that the constitutional review is key to completing state-building efforts and establishing clear legal frameworks to guide national institutions.