Somali Opposition Sets Deadline for Election Talks as Presidential and Parliamentary Terms Near Expiry

GOOBJOOG NEWS|KISMAYO: A Somali opposition alliance meeting in the port city of Kismayo has warned that the country is heading toward a constitutional crisis unless President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urgently convenes talks on elections before the mandates of both parliament and the presidency expire next year.

In a communique issued after the Somali Self-Determination Conference, the group gave the president one month, until January 20, 2026, to bring together all political stakeholders to agree on timely and transparent elections. Parliament’s term is due to end on April 14, 2026, while President Hassan Sheikh’s mandate expires on May 15, 2026, deadlines the opposition said must not be extended under any circumstances.

The conference brought together members of the Federal Parliament, former senior officials and civil society groups. It followed a tense opposition meeting in Kismayo earlier this week that was marked by disagreements over leadership arrangements, highlighting internal fault lines even as critics of the government seek to present a united front.

Despite those early divisions, the final statement delivered a broadside against the government’s record, accusing it of failure on security, governance and the economy. The opposition said the fight against the al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab had weakened, alleging that the military was increasingly being used for political ends and linked to the displacement of poorer communities.

The group also accused the government of illegally amending the provisional constitution in ways that have deepened political divisions, while citing corruption and forced displacement as factors driving investors away from the country.

On elections, the opposition reiterated its rejection of any mandate extensions, warning that if the president fails to act within the one-month window, a newly announced “Future Council” would begin preparations to pave the way for elections in order to avert a constitutional vacuum.

The communique also criticised ongoing local elections in the Banadir region, which includes Mogadishu, describing them as one-sided and unlawful in the absence of a settled agreement on the status of the capital. It called on leaders of federal member states whose terms have expired to organise elections in line with the law.

The opposition ended its statement with an appeal to the Somali public to rally behind efforts to “save the country,” pledging to sustain pressure for what it described as a lawful and inclusive political transition.