Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — Somalia’s opposition Future Council said Tuesday it was ready to enter talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud only if he halted unilateral election steps and accepted independent mediation.
In a statement dated May 5, the council said it had received Mohamud’s invitation to talks set for May 10 “with caution and responsibility.” But it accused the president of using dialogue as cover while pushing ahead with contested constitutional and electoral changes.
The opposition said it had previously joined talks “with goodwill and sincerity,” but said Mohamud had at the same time pursued what it called illegal amendments to Somalia’s constitution.
It said the latest invitation came a day after the government announced a one-sided electoral timetable, while “the displacement of vulnerable families” and “the arrest of youth” continued.
“This shows clearly that the invitation is only on paper and that there is no readiness for genuine dialogue,” the council said.
Conditions for talks
The statement marked the opposition’s first formal response since Villa Somalia invited leaders grouped under the Somali Future Council to a May 10 meeting on elections, state-building, national unity and the country’s political future.
The presidency said the invitation followed consultations with politicians, former leaders, traditional elders and civil society figures, and argued that the standoff required “mutual reassurance and compromise”.
But the opposition said meaningful talks could not take place while the government pursued parallel electoral steps outside political consensus.
It set two main conditions.
First, it said Mohamud must show “true transparency” by suspending unilateral election measures whose outcomes, it claimed, had already been predetermined, even though no candidates had been publicly named.
Second, it called for “an independent and neutral mediation mechanism” that all sides agree on.
The council said it remained committed to “genuine dialogue” but warned that talks could not succeed while the government continued actions “contrary to consultation and consensus.”
Diplomatic pressure
The statement followed growing international pressure on the opposition to join the talks.
The European Union, the United Nations and the United Kingdom have welcomed the government’s invitation and urged the rival camps to seek a negotiated settlement.
Francesca Di Mauro, the EU ambassador to Somalia, said she hoped for “a positive response” and “a constructive way forward” on elections, adding that the EU stood ready to support the efforts.
The UN mission called on all parties to participate “constructively and in good faith,” while British ambassador Charles King said dialogue was “the best way to address national priorities, promote stability and support the interests of all Somalis.”
The diplomatic statements did not endorse the government’s position in the mandate dispute. But they reinforced the international message that Somalia should resolve the crisis through talks rather than confrontation.
At the centre of the standoff is the opposition’s claim that Mohamud’s four-year constitutional mandate expires on May 15, the date parliament elected him in 2022.
The Future Council has said it will no longer recognise him after that date, describing him as “an ordinary citizen like the rest of the people” unless the sides reach a political agreement.
In Tuesday’s statement, it warned that if no deal is reached, it would take “responsible national steps” to protect the state’s “unity and existence”.
Mohamud’s allies argue that recent constitutional changes approved by parliament allow federal institutions to remain in office for five years.
Opposition leaders reject that argument, saying electoral reform cannot justify extending political mandates without broad agreement.
Disputed election model
Mohamud has said Somalia must move towards universal suffrage to end decades of indirect voting, elite bargaining and elections in which clan elders and regional leaders dominate the process.
His opponents say they support electoral reform in principle but reject what they describe as a process controlled by Villa Somalia.
They accuse the government of preparing “elections by appointment” and insist all sides must agree on the rules and timing collectively.
But the opposition has also criticised previous indirect models, leaving it under pressure to present a clear alternative.
Its May 2 statement promised an electoral framework within one week, a pledge that has raised questions over why it has not yet published a detailed plan after years of disputes over Somalia’s electoral system.
The May 10 talks now appear to be the last major political opening before the deadline.
For Mohamud, the challenge is to prove the meeting is not merely symbolic.
For the Future Council, the challenge is to move from rejection to a credible roadmap that can command wider support.
