MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s federal and regional leaders have concluded their talks in Mogadishu, issuing a communiqué that grants all regional states an additional year to prepare for popular elections. This move has already sparked criticism, with opposition leaders warning that the extension could plunge Somalia into political chaos and uncertainty.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and leaders from three regional states have agreed to reschedule direct local elections for June 2025, followed by regional parliamentary and leadership elections in September 2025. The original schedule had set local elections for June 2024 and parliamentary elections for November 2024.
This agreement follows weeks of discussions in Mogadishu, despite the absence of Puntland and Jubaland—two key regions vital for the success of this process. Political experts suggest that the new electoral deal was pre-planned, following President Mohamud’s engagement with lawmakers from both houses during a dinner meeting at the state house last night. During these discussions, he requested a one-month extension to present his election proposals before the parliamentary session adjourns.
Now, President Mohamud must submit his election plans to Parliament for approval, paving the way for Somalia to hold its first one-person, one-vote elections in decades. However, skepticism persists about the initiative’s success, given the previous failures of his predecessor in similar election reforms.
In his address to lawmakers, President Mohamud firmly denied any intentions to extend his term beyond his current mandate. The new electoral plan faces a significant hurdle as Ahmed Madobe, the President of Jubaland, walked out at the very beginning of the election talks. Madobe argued that direct elections would require a one-year extension, which he deemed impractical. He opposes the proposal and plans to hold an indirect leadership election for Jubaland this November, a move seen as a major blow to President Mohamud’s efforts for one-person, one-vote elections in Somalia.
Madobe has received support for his decision from his counterpart in Puntland, Said Deni, who has a political rift with President Mohamud. As a result, Deni chose to skip the election talks and any subsequent outcomes.
Political experts assert that with Ahmed Madobe and Said Deni opposing the new election plan, President Mohamud is unlikely to successfully implement these electoral reforms, even if both houses of Parliament approve them. Madobe and Deni are considered influential figures in Somali politics. They previously opposed similar reforms proposed by former President Abdullahi Farmaajo in 2021, contributing to Farmaajo’s political downfall and the continuation of indirect elections.
These indirect elections paved the way for Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s victory as President of Somalia in May 2022. Now, the same regional leaders who undermined Farmaajo’s efforts are once again opposing President Mohamud, leading experts to speculate that this could signal a potential downfall for his administration.
On Wednesday, opposition leaders vehemently condemned the one-year extension granted to regional states for preparing to hold popular elections, labeling it as “unconstitutional.” They warned that such a decision could lead the country into security instability and political turmoil, threatening peace-building and governance processes in Somalia.
“We want to make it clear to the Somali people and the international community that we will never accept any form of term extension,” they stated.
Analysts warn that the model championed by President Mohamud could derail the upcoming elections and potentially set the stage for a term extension. They highlight that during his time in opposition, he consistently protested against Farmaajo’s attempts to hold direct elections.
Despite calls for political inclusion, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appears determined to proceed with the one-person, one-vote system. There are rising fears that this move could undermine genuine democratic reform and lead to political uncertainty and chaos in Somalia.
