DAR ES SALAAM – The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) has ordered an immediate halt to the swearing-in of Somalia’s newly designated members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), following allegations that their selection was marred by corruption, political interference and procedural breaches.
The ruling was issued after a group of Somali politicians, including Ambassador Mohamed Cawil, filed a petition challenging the legitimacy of the nomination process. They argued that the Somali parliament’s selection of EALA representatives failed to meet the standards required under East African Community (EAC) law, which mandates transparency, fairness and proportional political representation.
In its decision, the court found credible evidence that the nomination process suffered from “clear irregularities,” including what the petitioners described as widespread vote-buying, manipulation of parliamentary procedures and undue influence from senior political actors.
Ambassador Cawil said the court’s findings validated the concerns raised by the complainants. Speaking to local media, he criticised comments made earlier by Tanzania’s ambassador to Somalia, who had attempted to dismiss or downplay the significance of the ruling.
“The court has clearly highlighted the irregularities that occurred,” Cawil said, adding that the judgment underscores the need for member states to adhere strictly to EAC regulations when selecting regional lawmakers.
The EACJ ruling means that the Somali delegates—who were scheduled to join their counterparts from other EAC member states in Arusha—cannot be formally recognised or sworn in until a full legal review is completed. The court has directed Somali authorities to correct the procedural flaws and ensure that any future selection complies fully with EAC statutes and principles of good governance.
The decision marks a rare intervention by the regional court in a member state’s internal political processes, highlighting growing concerns within the EAC about the integrity of parliamentary elections and regional appointments.
It remains unclear how long the review will take or whether the current nominees will remain eligible once the process is repeated or revised. Somali authorities have not yet issued an official response to the ruling
