Sunday June 7, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission has started taking in candidates for the Southwest State presidential election, marking the formal launch of the region’s race for leadership. One of the first to file was Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, a former president of Southwest State, who was handed his certificate of candidacy by the commission. Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe, speaker of the House of the People of Somalia’s Federal Parliament, also received his…

Friday June 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a move that could ease rising political friction in Somalia’s capital, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Friday left the temporary homes they had taken up in two Mogadishu neighborhoods, according to sources familiar with the situation. Sharif had recently relocated to Mirinaayo in Abdiaziz district, while Khaire had been staying in the Bermudo area. Opposition figures said the relocations were tied to efforts to mobilize supporters…

Somali president holds unannounced talks with ex-leader Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, signaling push for national dialogue MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met behind closed doors late Sunday with former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Mogadishu, an unannounced encounter that signals a possible easing of political tensions as the country grapples with overlapping security, governance and constitutional challenges. The meeting brought together two of Somalia’s most influential political figures after months…

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said Friday that an opposition coalition conference planned in Kismayo will focus on forging a unified political vision and a credible path to national elections, rejecting claims the gathering is meant to form a parallel government. “The objective of the Kismayo conference is to agree on a common vision, particularly on elections, not to form a new government,” Sharif said in remarks to reporters, framing the meeting as a push for a viable, fair and inclusive electoral…

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 the Puntland State and Jubaland…

Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed did not hold back on Saturday, sharply critiquing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He raised serious doubts about the viability of the planned one-person, one-vote elections given the persistent security threats and condemned the government's harsh evictions in Mogadishu. Ahmed asserted that the dire security situation in Somalia renders individual voting unfeasible. He accused President Hassan Sheikh of pushing this electoral plan more for personal advantage…