MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday invited leaders of the opposition National Future Council to fresh talks aimed at resolving a protracted deadlock over the country’s elections, as his term ends in less than two weeks. The opposition immediately rejected the overture.
In a statement released Saturday afternoon, Mohamud said the talks, scheduled to commence on May 10, followed a series of consultations with political stakeholders, clan elders and broader segments of Somali society, culminating in his decision to convene the dialogue.
He indicated that the meeting would be conducted with responsibility, transparency and good faith, focusing on critical national priorities. These include the electoral process, broader state-building efforts, strengthening national unity and shaping the country’s future political direction.
The president underscored the urgency of reaching mutual understanding and compromise, stressing that the success of the talks depends on their ability to produce tangible and constructive outcomes.
The opposition, however, dismissed the initiative as inadequate. A spokesperson for the bloc, lawmaker Mohamed Ali Omar, said they would not accept the invitation or participate in the talks unless the president clearly commits to centering discussions on elections and addressing what they describe as unilateral constitutional measures recently introduced by the authorities.
The lawmaker further argued that the invitation mirrors a similar attempt made weeks earlier, during which opposition leaders attended talks but encountered what they described as the president’s inflexible stance and continued insistence on advancing his own agenda.
In a separate press conference on Saturday, opposition leaders announced plans to initiate “peaceful resistance” and mobilize public support against the federal government once the incumbent president’s mandate expires on May 15. They added that from that point onward, Mohamud would be treated as an ordinary citizen.
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