Mogadishu, Somalia
By: Abdihakim Siyad – In a significant breakthrough aimed at fostering national unity and political stability, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reached a political agreement with prominent figures from the opposition alliance, Madasha Samatabixinta (Salvation Forum), signaling a dramatic shift in Somalia’s electoral direction.
The deal, announced on Monday, includes former high-ranking officials such as former Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, former Southwest State President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, and ex-Minister Dahir Mohamud Geelle. The leaders, once vocal critics of the current administration, have now officially aligned with the government after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Key Provisions of the Agreement
The joint declaration outlined several critical points aimed at strengthening the state-building process and enhancing democratic governance:
1. Parliamentary Election of the President: A major highlight of the agreement is the consensus that the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia will be elected by members of the Federal Parliament. This represents a rollback from the government’s earlier push for a universal suffrage model and a return to the indirect electoral process used in previous elections.
2. Reinstating Balance of Power: Another major shift is the revocation of the President’s unilateral power to dismiss the Prime Minister. Under the new understanding, the Prime Minister will be nominated by the President but must be approved or removed only through a vote of confidence in the Lower House of Parliament.
3. Strengthening Federalism: Regional state assemblies will continue to elect the leaders of Federal Member States, reinforcing the federal system of governance.
4. Security and State-Building Commitments: All parties pledged to work jointly in supporting ongoing security operations aimed at reclaiming territories still under the control of the militant group Al-Shabaab.
5. Electoral Framework: The 2024 Electoral Law will serve as the foundation for upcoming elections, while accommodating updates agreed upon in the communiqué.
6. Political Party Threshold: Any political party securing at least 10% of the total parliamentary seats will be recognized as a national political party.
7. Accelerated Elections: The signatories called for immediate preparations for local government, federal member state, and federal parliamentary elections.
8. Finalizing the Constitution: The agreement commits all parties to expedite the completion of the remaining chapters of the Federal Constitution to ensure legal clarity and institutional legitimacy.
9. Inclusive Electoral Process: Both government and opposition groups agreed to collectively support the shift toward universal suffrage in the long term, including direct elections for local councils, regional parliaments, and both houses of the Federal Parliament.
A Setback for One-Person-One-Vote Ambitions
The most notable outcome of the deal is the symbolic concession by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud regarding the presidential election process. The President, who has been a strong advocate of the one-person-one-vote system, agreed to reinstate the model where Members of Parliament elect the President. This development is widely interpreted as a setback for the government’s previously announced plans to implement direct presidential elections.
Furthermore, the President relinquished the authority to unilaterally dismiss the Prime Minister a power he had insisted on during earlier reform proposals potentially ushering in a more balanced executive-legislative relationship.
Call for Political Unity
In a final joint appeal, the parties urged all Somali political stakeholders to unite around the democratic process and support efforts to finalize the constitution and build lasting democratic institutions.
