Saturday March 7, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — A political party led by former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to prioritize a broadly agreed electoral process as Somalia nears the end of the current term and digests sweeping constitutional amendments that extend federal mandates to five years.
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In a statement issued Friday, the Himilo Qaran party called on the president to devote the remainder of his mandate to organizing elections anchored in consensus among all political stakeholders. “The country needs an electoral process that is collectively agreed upon,” the statement said, adding that inclusive dialogue is essential to preserving stability.
The appeal lands amid intensifying debate over the implications of a revised constitution approved this week by a joint sitting of parliament. On Thursday, Speaker of the House of the People Aden Mohamed Nur Madoobe announced that the mandates of federal government institutions will run five years under the updated charter, replacing the four-year terms set by the 2012 provisional constitution.
Government officials have framed the overhaul as a long-delayed step toward completing Somalia’s legal foundation and clarifying the federal system. Critics argue the changes risk unsettling the political timetable and were adopted without sufficient consensus — a concern that intersects directly with the opposition party’s call for an inclusive electoral roadmap.
Himilo Qaran did not directly address the term extension in its statement. Instead, it focused on the process ahead, warning that moving forward without national agreement could trigger fresh tensions and undermine governance at a delicate phase of state-building.
The party urged the federal government to broaden consultation and cooperation among political leaders and institutions to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible vote. Its recommendations included:
- Establishing an electoral process jointly negotiated with federal and regional stakeholders.
- Creating clear, agreed timelines and procedures to avert disputes over sequencing and mandates.
- Guaranteeing transparency and inclusive participation to bolster public trust.
The push from Sheikh Sharif’s camp underscores a wider apprehension among opposition figures about Somalia’s political trajectory as the calendar tightens. While the revised constitution seeks to address structural ambiguities that have dogged successive transitions, the manner and pace of its adoption have raised questions that Somalia’s leaders will have to navigate carefully.
Calls for consensus carry particular weight in Somalia’s power-sharing context, where federal member states, political parties and influential social actors expect to be consulted on rules governing representation. Disputes over election models, timelines and implementation have previously produced protracted stand-offs, with damaging effects on security, the economy and international confidence.
Supporters of the amendments say codifying five-year terms could reduce the frequency of political brinkmanship and allow more time for institution-building. Detractors counter that even sound reforms can falter if introduced without broad buy-in, arguing that legitimacy hinges on agreement as much as on legal text.
For now, Himilo Qaran’s message is a test for the presidency: move swiftly to convene inclusive talks on the electoral path, or risk deepening polarization as the country enters a sensitive transition window. How the government sequences consultations, clarifies timelines and communicates with stakeholders may determine whether the next vote consolidates recent gains or reopens long-standing fissures.
The statement reflects a growing sense among opposition groups that negotiated solutions — not unilateral steps — remain key to safeguarding Somalia’s fragile progress.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
