Mogadishu — Somalia’s federal government accused opposition figures on Tuesday of derailing high-stakes political talks in the capital by abandoning an agreed agenda, intensifying a standoff over elections and constitutional reforms as the United Nations urged both sides back to the table.
In a statement, the government said the consultation process—launched in March 2025 to collect views from former leaders, politicians, academics and civil society—remains the vehicle to resolve what it called the country’s “fateful issues.” It reiterated that progress must come through dialogue and consensus rooted in the Provisional Constitution and national laws, and that all political stakeholders have a role in shaping the electoral process and federal stability.
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Officials said preliminary understandings before the formal talks set a narrow focus and sequence for the next phase. According to the government, parties had signaled alignment on three priorities:
- Establishing a committee to advise on federal elections.
- Holding state-level elections.
- Concluding a second meeting in April 2026 to advance the federal electoral process.
The government alleged that on day one of formal negotiations, members of the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council introduced new proposals that had not been part of those understandings and lacked a constitutional or legal basis. Among them, officials said, was a demand for opposition groups to be granted direct advisory authority over the administration of elections in Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Southwest states.
The dispute lays bare a central fault line in Somalia’s transition: The opposition has consistently advocated for indirect voting in the three federal member states, mirroring processes in Puntland State and Jubbaland, while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has pushed to move the country toward a one-person, one-vote system. Mogadishu maintains that the organization of state elections is the purview of each state’s leadership structures.
Government representatives said they had shown “patience and flexibility” to keep the talks within the agreed framework, but described the opposition’s subsequent public statement as a breach of procedural understandings. Even so, they emphasized that negotiations are not closed.
“The Federal Government of Somalia reiterates that negotiations remain open to anyone prepared to engage in constitutional dialogue,” the statement said, adding that authorities remain committed to an electoral process aligned with the constitution and reflective of the Somali people’s will.
The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and international partners met Monday with senior officials from both the federal government and the Somali Future Council following the collapse of high-level talks. UNTMIS said it was disappointed by the lack of a deal so far but welcomed public commitments from both sides to keep working toward a constructive resolution and urged renewed engagement.
The breakdown underscores how fragile the political calendar remains as Somalia attempts to consolidate federal institutions and set clear electoral rules. Whether the parties return to the streamlined agenda—advisory committee, state-level balloting and an April follow-up meeting—will determine if the process regains momentum or drifts into prolonged deadlock.
For now, the government says it will keep the door open to dialogue and insists any outcome must comply with the Provisional Constitution. The opposition, for its part, continues to press for a role in shaping near-term state elections, arguing recent indirect polls elsewhere provide a workable template. With both sides publicly signaling readiness to talk and the UN leaning in, the next move will hinge on whether negotiators can contain their differences and re-anchor the process to shared rules of the road.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
