MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s opposition leaders have begun a three-day closed-door meeting in the capital, Mogadishu, to form a unified stance against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s controversial push for a one-person, one-vote election model—a plan strongly opposed by two regional states and other key stakeholders, Caasimada Online news website reported on Friday.
The high-level meeting, which commenced on Friday, brings together prominent opposition figures, including former presidents, prime ministers, and parliamentary speakers. Many of them have returned to the country in recent days to participate in the talks.
The opposition bloc aims to consolidate its position and establish a unified political front to challenge the President’s electoral plans. Voter registration for municipal elections under the new model has already begun in Mogadishu, signaling the government’s intent to proceed despite resistance.
Critics, including the leaders of Jubaland and Puntland, argue that universal suffrage is currently unfeasible due to persistent insecurity, limited government control outside the capital, and the short time remaining in the current political term. They view the initiative as a veiled attempt to extend the President’s tenure.
President Mohamud and other senior officials have reiterated that the move toward universal suffrage is irreversible, dismissing opposition from influential figures and regional leaders who control significant parliamentary representation.
In a surprising development, Abdikarin Hussein Guled, the President’s advisor on Somaliland negotiations and a longtime ally, publicly condemned the unilateral push for electoral reform. Guled urged a return to Somalia’s traditional approach of inclusive, consensus-based decision-making. His statement, seen as a major political rupture, may signal the beginning of broader dissent within the President’s inner circle.
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