MOGADISHU, Somalia – Senior Somali opposition figures have launched a sequence of high-level conferences in Mogadishu amid rising political uncertainty, calling for an inclusive electoral course of and warning of deepening instability.
Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed hosted a key gathering at his residence within the capital, joined by former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. The talks targeted on what individuals described as an pressing have to “rescue the nation” and make sure that Somalia’s upcoming elections are truthful and consultant.
“The nation is heading right into a interval of harmful uncertainty,” the leaders warned in a joint assertion following the assembly. “With out nationwide consensus, the state-building course of is in danger.”
A follow-up assembly is at the moment underway on the Macalin Nur shrine in Mogadishu, the place prime opposition figures are persevering with discussions. The talks are seen as a precursor to a serious opposition convention anticipated within the coming days, aimed toward difficult the electoral method at the moment being pursued by Villa Somalia, the seat of the presidency.
Sources near the talks say the opposition is making ready to difficulty a set of suggestions and calls for centered on electoral transparency, power-sharing, and the necessity for a transitional framework that accommodates all political voices.
The developments come amid a surge in political maneuvering by the opposition each inside and out of doors the nation. In current weeks, Somali opposition teams have held conferences overseas, discussing methods for managing the important transitional interval main as much as the 2026 elections.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has confronted mounting strain from critics who accuse him of consolidating energy and ignoring requires inclusive dialogue. A number of political actors have publicly urged the president to keep away from actions that would plunge the nation into disaster.
Tensions between authorities and opposition leaders have escalated sharply, with verbal assaults exchanged within the media and public boards. In response to opposition criticism, the Somali presidency has issued strongly worded statements, signaling an more and more confrontational political local weather.
Analysts warn that the deepening rift may undermine nationwide unity and complicate preparations for the following electoral cycle except a compromise is reached within the coming months.