President Mohamud, Opposition Factions to Meet Amid Electoral Stand-off

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and key opposition factions are set for a national dialogue forum in Mogadishu today as a dispute over the next elections remains unresolved. The forum is scheduled to open today, Saturday, but it is not yet clear whether proceedings will begin as planned.

The Presidency said today that it is consulting all invited stakeholders to ensure they attend. The forum is expected to be chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and run through November 18.

The invitees include the Somali Future Council, the Nabad iyo Nolol faction led by former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, the National Unity Forum and the Civil Society Coalition. The discussions come amid sharp divisions over constitutional amendments, the electoral model and the mandates of federal institutions.

The government supports a transition to direct elections under the revised constitutional framework. Opposition groups, including Farmaajo’s faction, dispute the legitimacy of the changes and argue that political agreement must come before the next elections.

The stand-off intensified after the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced on October 15 that parliamentary elections would be held on April 15, 2027, followed by a presidential election on May 15. Opposition groups rejected the timetable, saying it was announced without adequate consultation with key political stakeholders.

Previous rounds of talks, including discussions in August, failed to resolve the main disagreements, although both sides agreed to continue dialogue. President Mohamud has repeatedly called on political leaders to settle their differences through negotiations and says the government remains open to discussions on issues of national importance.

The upcoming forum will test whether the government and opposition figures can find common ground on the electoral process—or whether Somalia’s political stand-off will deepen as the next federal elections approach.

11:21 AM