By Abdihakim Siyad
MOGADISHU —In a striking twist of history, Somalia’s opposition leaders gathered today at Hotel Jazeera in Mogadishu—the same venue where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud once opposed his predecessor—to voice fierce resistance against Mohamud’s own administration.
This time, the political tide has turned, and Mohamud is the one under mounting pressure.
The emergency meeting, led by former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, comes amid growing discontent over controversial constitutional amendments passed in April 2024.
The changes, which shift Somalia from a parliamentary to a presidential system, allow the president to appoint and dismiss the prime minister without parliamentary approval—a move critics are calling authoritarian.
“This is not reform; it is a power grab,” declared Sharif. “Somalia fought hard to escape dictatorship. We will not return.”
BREAKING: The #Somali opposition, led by former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has convened an urgent meeting in Mogadishu.
This development comes amid growing pressure on both the opposition and the government to engage in dialogue and find common ground.
The meeting… pic.twitter.com/LgWuGtTlmv
— Frontier Online (@FrontierOnlineK) May 28, 2025
Opposition leaders argue that the amendments undermine federalism, marginalize regional states, and roll back years of democratic progress.
The federal government’s plan to implement a “one person, one vote” system has also come under fire. While the concept enjoys public support, the opposition claims the rollout is flawed, exclusionary, and politically motivated.
“There is no clarity, no independent commission, and no consensus,” said MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame.
“What we’re seeing is a manipulated process meant to extend terms, not genuine reform.”
Former President Sharif added that even the voter registration drive has raised alarms. “People are being forced to register for the election. Universities and schools are complaining. This is not how elections should be conducted.The current process is illegal and unacceptable.”
The unilateral appointment of a new National Electoral and Boundaries Commission by President Mohamud has further deepened mistrust.
The opposition contends the commission lacks credibility and was formed without consultation with federal member states or civil society.
The political fallout has widened the rift between Mogadishu and regional states. Puntland has rejected the constitutional amendments outright, suspended cooperation with the federal government, and vowed to operate independently. Jubaland has also distanced itself, with President Ahmed Madobe citing a lack of respect for regional governance.
Critics have also pointed to a deteriorating climate for press freedom and institutional oversight. Journalists reporting critically on the reforms have been arrested or harassed, while key accountability institutions—such as the Anti-Corruption Commission—have been dismantled. Opposition leaders argue these developments betray the promises of transparency and democratic renewal that President Mohamud made when he returned to office in 2022.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has called for urgent national dialogue, saying, “We are not against reform, but it must be by consensus, not coercion.”
As Somalia approaches the 2026 elections, opposition politicians insist the vote must be inclusive, credible, and fair.
They argue that current conditions—including security concerns, political exclusion, and rushed reforms—make a direct “one person, one vote” election unrealistic. Many are demanding a return to the indirect voting model used in previous elections.
With political tensions escalating and trust in federal institutions waning, Somalia stands at a crossroads.
The question is no longer just who should lead, but how power should be shaped and shared in a nation still healing from decades of conflict.
