Somali Future Council undecided on attending President Mohamud’s May 10 meeting

Tuesday May 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali Future Council has cast doubt on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s proposed consultation meeting, saying it has not yet decided whether to take part.

Speaking for the opposition bloc, former MP Abdirahman Dheere said the council is still weighing the invitation and has not settled on a final response.

“Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent an invitation, and we are still considering how to respond. We believe he is not sincere and may have other intentions, but we have not yet made a final decision,” Dheere said.

He said the council’s recent meetings are part of wider efforts to craft an alternative electoral framework, which it intends to present to the Somali public.

Dheere added that internal consultations remain under way and that, in the coming days, the council is expected to unveil both its proposed electoral model and its official reply to the president’s invitation.

President Hassan Sheikh recently invited the Somali Future Council to a high-level meeting set for May 10 in Mogadishu. According to the presidency, the initiative came after consultations with different sectors of society and is meant to address major national issues, including Somalia’s political future and the electoral process.

The planned discussions have already drawn support from international partners. The United Nations, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have welcomed the move and called on the federal government and opposition groups to enter dialogue and agree on a way forward.

The latest developments unfold against a backdrop of mounting political tension as the president’s term expires on May 15, with no deal yet reached on the electoral model or the timetable.