Sharif Sheikh Ahmed opposes Mogadishu direct election proposal citing legal, security concerns

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has rejected the government’s plan to hold one-person, one-vote elections in Mogadishu this month, warning the process lacks legal consensus, adequate security and public confidence. The vote would be the capital’s first direct election in more than 50 years.

In an interview with the BBC Somali Service, Sharif — a leading member of the Council for Somalia’s Future, a coalition that includes the Somali Salvation Forum as well as thePuntland Stateand Jubaland administrations — said the government has advanced an electoral model that does not meet basic standards of transparency or fairness. Several opposition blocs, including his, have boycotted the process.

“The electoral commission was appointed by one faction and does not have national acceptance,” Sharif said, adding that only one party, the JSP, appears able to campaign freely in the capital. He urged authorities to halt preparations and return to a framework agreed upon by all political actors.

Government officials say they are fulfilling their mandate to deliver a direct vote within their four-year term. They maintain Parliament approved all necessary legislation, creating a sufficient legal foundation for the ballot. Sharif disputed that claim, saying key laws were passed without a quorum and included amendments legislators had no authority to make.

He accused PresidentHassan Sheikh Mohamudof refusing to negotiate essential changes to the electoral system. The president has previously denied seeking any extension of his term, which expires in about six months.

Sharif said Somalia must distinguish between its long-term objective of national direct elections and the immediate steps required to reach that goal. The country still operates under the 4.5 power-sharing model, he noted, and has yet to complete the reconciliation needed to support a functional multi-party system. “We are talking about principles — an election better than the last and less vulnerable to corruption,” he said.

He added that his political organization will register as a formal party once security improves and reconciliation advances. He criticized the idea of staging direct voting only in selected regions, saying all Somalis should have equal access to the ballot.

Sharif is expected to attend a political conference in Kismayo organized by the Council for Somalia’s Future. The meeting aims to develop a unified position on a credible election model and reduce disputes tied to the constitution and electoral laws. He said former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and other political leaders should not be excluded from that dialogue.

Successive Somali administrations have pledged to move toward one-person, one-vote polls since the country began rebuilding its central government in the late 1990s. But persistent insecurity, political divisions and competing regional interests have slowed the transition. The planned Mogadishu vote was expected to mark a significant step, yet the dispute over its legality and inclusivity now threatens to overshadow its significance.

Sharif warned that forcing through a flawed vote could deepen instability in the capital and beyond. In his view, progress requires agreement on both the constitutional amendments under consideration and the electoral system they would shape — and that agreement must include federal authorities, regional administrations, opposition figures and organized civil society.

The government has not indicated any change to the timeline. For now, the standoff pits the administration’s pledge to deliver a landmark Mogadishu election against opposition demands for broader consensus, stronger safeguards and a nationwide pathway that avoids leaving parts of the country behind. The coming weeks — and the outcome of the Kismayo conference — will likely determine whether Somalia’s experiment with direct voting advances or stalls amid recrimination.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.