MOGADISHU — Talks between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders ended Sunday without agreement on elections or proposed constitutional reforms, deepening Somalia’s political deadlock.
The discussions included Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and the presidents of Puntland and Jubbaland, focusing on regional election consensus.
Opposition leaders demanded elections in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and South West states, whose terms expired. Mohamud rejected the calls, citing political affiliations, according to sources familiar with talks.
Mohamud insists on unified elections, proposing to complete local council polls first before federal-level voting, while the opposition maintains a preference for a consensus-based approach.
No date has been set for further talks. Both sides remain silent, leaving Somalia’s fragile political environment uncertain, analysts warn, amid rising tension and instability.
Observers say the deadlock mirrors 2021 when former President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s reform attempt failed, sparking violence, leaving Mohamud confronting similar opposition and regional resistance today.
