KISMAYO, Somalia — A high-stakes conference of the Somali Future Council opened Thursday in Kismayo, drawing more than 700 delegates and senior political figures to chart a path toward a consensus-based election model as Somalia nears pivotal votes.
The gathering, hosted in the interim capital of Jubaland under heightened security, convenes amid plans to hold one person, one vote local council elections in Mogadishu’s Benadir region on Dec. 25. Organizers and participants say their goal is to avoid political conflict by agreeing on election timelines, rules and safeguards before moving ahead nationwide.
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“The importance of this conference is that Somalia is not dependent on the will of one person,” Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, known as Ahmed Madobe, said in opening remarks. “Advice must be placed on the table, the remaining time for elections must be clearly understood, and an agreed election process must be reached.”
Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni said Puntland State is ready to help rebuild state institutions, urging the federal government to listen to dissenting voices. “If we do not listen to each other and do not respect one another, nothing good will come from it,” he said. “The president and the federal government must allow Somalis to reach a shared view on an election based on agreement.”
Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed warned that the current environment risks eroding public trust in the process. “It is unfortunate that elections that should have been a source of pride have been distorted,” he said, adding that coercive registration “distances citizens from the government and undermines the recovery the Somali people have made.”
The Somali Future Council, formed in October, brings together leaders from Puntland State and Jubaland alongside members of the Somali Salvation Forum to coordinate positions on political and security issues, including preparations for the 2026 elections. The alliance has rejected moving ahead with balloting without broad national consensus, and it has boycotted the Benadir vote, accusing the federal government of unilateral election management and constitutional changes outside the federal consultative framework.
Federal Minister of Interior Ali Yusuf Ali Hoosh said Mogadishu does not oppose the Kismayo conference and that freedom of assembly is guaranteed. “The Federal Government of Somalia fully respects the constitutional right to assembly and meetings,” Hoosh said. But he accused opposition figures of resisting the return of power to voters through local council elections.
Organizers say the Kismayo meeting aims to channel growing political momentum into a workable, inclusive framework rather than allow disputes over sequencing and authority to harden into confrontation. Abdifatah Abdinur, Puntland State’s state minister at the presidency, said the objective is to “prevent political chaos” and urged civil society to back a consensus-driven process.
Key political stakeholders attending include:
- Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni
- Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe)
- Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
- Former Prime Ministers Mohamed Hussein Rooble, Hassan Ali Khayre and Abdi Farah Shirdoon (Saacid)
- Former minister Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame
At the heart of the dispute are the election model and timing, security conditions, constitutional amendments and the management of logistics and oversight. Opposition leaders say they support one person, one vote elections in principle but argue current conditions could produce instability and post-election conflict if key actors remain outside the process.
Political analysts warn that proceeding without participation from major regional and national players could deepen divisions and create new dynamics difficult to reverse, especially as the 2026 timeline comes into view. Many see a consensus-based framework as the surest way to avoid a repeat of past election disputes and ensure both legitimacy and security for Somali voters.
The National Independent Electoral Commission continues preparations in Mogadishu for the Dec. 25 Benadir vote. Whether the Kismayo talks can bridge differences in time to influence that poll remains uncertain, but participants say the larger objective is to lock in a credible, inclusive roadmap that can carry Somalia through the next phases of its democratic transition.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
Thursday December 18, 2025
