Somali opposition, Hawiye elders meet in Mogadishu to ease election tensions

Monday April 20, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — In a bid to calm mounting political tensions, Somali opposition leaders sat down with influential Hawiye clan elders in Mogadishu on Sunday, as the country edges closer to a disputed electoral process.

The discussions drew a number of prominent opposition figures, among them former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Mohamed Hussein Roble, as well as lawmakers and other political actors. At the center of the talks was Somalia’s increasingly fragile political environment and the search for a negotiated way out before the situation worsens.

The elders said they hoped to act as impartial go-betweens for the federal government and the opposition, with the goal of narrowing differences and building common ground.

“Our role is to open dialogue between the government and the opposition,” one elder said. “We are not aligned with any side. We want a peaceful solution that all parties can accept.”

After the meeting, Roble told reporters that immediate steps were needed to protect national security, while also criticizing the political deadlock now gripping the country. He cautioned that any further delay in reaching agreement could widen uncertainty and put stability at greater risk.

The gathering comes as opposition groups intensify consultations over Somalia’s political direction, especially with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term scheduled to expire on May 15, 2026.

The federal government says parliament legally extended its mandate for one year after approving constitutional amendments. Opposition leaders have rejected that position, calling the decision unconstitutional and imposed without broad agreement.

The dispute has added to uncertainty surrounding Somalia’s electoral roadmap, and pressure is growing for inclusive talks to keep political divisions from deepening further.