Hamza I.
Abdullahi

Few careers cover as much of a legal system as Hamza's covers Somalia's. He has judged the law, drafted it, advised the state's chief prosecutor on it — and now practises it.

As head of the Policy and Legislative Drafting Unit at Somalia's Federal Ministry of Justice (2014–16), Hamza led the drafting and review of the instruments a rebuilding state runs on: the review of the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, the Anti-Corruption Commission establishment bill — enacted in 2019 — the Judicial Organisation and Constitutional Court establishment bills, and the Advocates Bill. His unit screened legislation across government for constitutionality and drafting standards before it reached the Council of Ministers.

As Criminal Justice Advisor to the Office of the Attorney General (2016–17), he supported the building of a functioning prosecution service, and advised the Attorney General during Somalia's maritime boundary proceedings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Before Somalia's federal rebuild, he sat as a judge of the Supreme Court of Ethiopia's Somali Regional State (1998–2002), served on its Judicial Administration Commission, helped draft the revised regional constitution, and participated in translating the federal codes into Somali. More than twenty years of judicial, legislative and advisory experience across Ethiopia, Europe and Somalia sit behind his practice.

At Insaaf, Hamza leads the work where legislation, regulation and institutions meet — the Central Bank of Somalia Act review, legislative-drafting mandates, regulatory analysis in energy and petroleum, and the firm's justice-sector research. Clients get a rare thing: advice on Somali law from someone who has written a good part of it.

WRITING — SOMALIA LAW BLOG

Somalia and the AfCFTA: what actually changes — and what doesn't yet → Hiring and contracting in Somalia (with Abdirizak Mustaf Ahmed) →

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