East African Court Ruling Secures Somalia's Parliamentary Representation

Somalia, 20 January 2026 Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday welcomed a ruling by the East African Court of Appeal that overturned earlier decisions suspending the swearing-in of Somalia’s elected representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The East African Court of Appeal’s decision followed a petition by Somali academics and politicians who alleged that the October 2025 selection process in Mogadishu was politically biased and violated East African Community (EAC) procedures. The Ministry congratulated the nine Somali MPs elected by the Federal Parliament and reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to regional integration and cooperation with EAC member states. “Somalia continues to deepen its engagement within the East African Community, and the Ministry remains committed to ensuring effective representation across all EAC organs and institutions, in support of Somalia’s national interests and regional integration,” the Ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday. Somalia formally joined the EAC in 2023, seeking to boost its economy and regional security after decades of conflict. However, its first cohort of representatives to the Arusha-based regional parliament was blocked from taking their seats in November after critics argued the election favoured government-linked candidates. The East African Legislative Assembly is the legislative arm of the EAC, which brings together Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Somalia.