# Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Somalia (Wasaaradda Cadaaladda)

> What Somalia's justice ministry does: the constitution, laws, courts, prisons and legal aid, the 2024 and 2026 constitutional changes, who leads it and how to use it.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/institutions/ministry-of-justice/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## What it does

- **The constitution:** it led the federal side of the 13-year review of the 2012 Provisional Constitution. It welcomed parliament's approval of the amended constitution in 2026 ([SONNA](https://sonna.so/en/ministry-of-justice-welcomes-historic-approval-of-somalias-constitution-after-13-year-review/)), and met the member states' justice ministers on finishing it ([AllAfrica, November 2025](https://allafrica.com/stories/202511130473.html)). In January 2026 it rejected claims that key actors had been left out of the review ([AllAfrica, January 2026](https://allafrica.com/stories/202601280493.html); [ConstitutionNet](https://constitutionnet.org/fr/node/20026)).
- **Judicial bodies:** it proposes members of judicial bodies. In July 2026 the cabinet approved its nominees to the new Supreme Judicial Council ([Dawan Africa, July 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalia-cabinet-approves-nominees-to-supreme-judicial-council)). See [Somalia's courts](/en/institutions/courts-and-judiciary/).
- **Prisons and justice services:** it works with partners on courts, prisons and legal aid. In August 2026 it marked the close of the UN mission's support to justice and prisons ([Dawan Africa, August 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/un-mission-concludes-justice-and-prisons-support-in-somalia)). See [International bodies in Somalia](/en/institutions/international-bodies-in-somalia/).
- **Training:** it sends officials for training, for example to Egypt on new forms of crime and digital transformation ([SONNA](https://sonna.so/en/minister-of-justice-sends-officials-to-egypt-for-capacity-building-on-emerging-crimes-and-digital-transformation/)).

## Who leads it

- **Minister:** Hassan Moalim Mohamud [Sheikh](/en/regions/sheikh/) Ali ([Ministry of Justice, the minister](https://moj.gov.so/wasiirka-wasaaradda/)). Spellings of his name vary between sources.
- **State Minister:** Ilyas Sheikh Omar ([Ministry of Justice, state minister](https://moj.gov.so/wasiiru-dowlaha/)).

## In 2026

- **Implementing the constitution:** on 14 October 2026 the minister said putting the new constitution into effect could take up to five years ([Dawan Africa, October 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/minister-hassan-mohamud-implementing-somalias-constitution-could-take-up-to-five-years)).
- **MPs in the cabinet:** on 26 October 2026 he said that separating members of parliament from the cabinet straight away would create a constitutional vacuum ([Dawan Africa, October 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/separating-lawmakers-from-cabinet-now-would-create-constitutional-vacuum-justice-minister-says)).
- **The term dispute:** in November 2026 five judges of the Constitutional Division ruled that the terms of the President and parliament had ended; the Attorney General's office said the ruling had no legal effect. See [Attorney General](/en/institutions/attorney-general/).

## How to use it

- **Laws and the constitution:** the ministry publishes legal texts and news on moj.gov.so; the constitution is on the Constitute Project and ConstitutionNet sites.
- **A court case or complaint about a judge:** go to the court, or to the Supreme Judicial Council for judges' conduct.

## Its legal basis

The 2012 Provisional Constitution, as amended on 30 March 2024 and 4 March 2026; the ministry's mandate is set by the Council of Ministers.

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