Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signaled a pivotal de-escalation in Somalia’s widening political crisis on Tuesday, accepting opposition demands for urgent dialogue just 48 hours before a controversial local election in the capital is set to test the country’s fragile federal unity.
Addressing a rally for his Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) in Mogadishu, the President abruptly softened his stance toward the opposition alliance gathered in Kismayo, promising a formal government response to their call for a consensus-based electoral roadmap.
“The mat is open, and it remains spread out,” Mohamud told supporters, invoking a traditional Somali metaphor for negotiation.
“We are ready to take the good points from what the group in Kismayo produced. We bear no grudge, we hold no anger, and there is no one we reject.”
The pivot marks a significant shift for the administration, potentially defusing a standoff that observers warned was pushing the Horn of Africa nation toward a “constitutional void” ahead of critical 2026 deadlines.
Diplomatic overture
The President’s comments come less than two days after key opposition figures—operating under the banner of the Somali Future Council—issued a stern communiqué from the Jubaland capital.
The alliance, which includes federal lawmakers and former regional leaders, warned that Somalia faces a legitimacy crisis if the government fails to agree on the terms for the next presidential and parliamentary cycles before current mandates expire in early 2026.
While Mohamud had initially dismissed the Kismayo gathering, mocking the leaders for meeting outside Mogadishu, his Tuesday address acknowledged the gravity of the impasse.
“We are not refusing to move forward, nor are we refusing to reconcile,” he said, confirming his administration would issue a written counter-proposal to the Kismayo declaration shortly.
“Those who participated before, we welcome them back. Those who want to join now, we welcome them too.”
Dec 25 vote confirmed
The prospect of renewed talks coincides with a high-stakes logistical test for the federal government.
The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) confirmed on Tuesday that local council elections for the Banadir region (Mogadishu) will proceed as scheduled on Thursday, December 25.
The vote is widely viewed as a litmus test for the administration’s capacity to move beyond the indirect clan-based selection system to universal suffrage.
Commission spokesperson Abdifatah Faysal Hussein told reporters that polling stations across 16 districts would open from 06:00 to 18:00 local time.
“Anyone already in the queue by closing time will be allowed to cast their ballot,” Hussein said, outlining an operation that spans 213 centers and 523 polling stations across the city.
To ensure order, the commission has strictly barred political associations from campaigning inside voting centers.
The ‘direct vote’ gamble
Thursday’s ballot is more than a municipal election; it is the centerpiece of President Mohamud’s pledge to implement “one-person, one-vote” polls nationwide.
However, this push has met fierce resistance from Federal Member States, particularly Puntland and Jubaland, who view the unilateral rollout as a power grab by the center.
The opposition argues that implementing direct elections without a comprehensive political agreement violates the 2012 Provisional Constitution, which mandates that federal states must participate in designing the electoral architecture.
A core grievance is the status of the capital itself. Critics argue that holding elections in Banadir—which has no defined status in the federal structure—effectively disenfranchises its residents by tying them to a federally controlled process rather than a devolved state government.
In their weekend statement, the Kismayo alliance noted that the House of the People’s term expires on April 14, 2026, followed by the President’s term on May 15.
They demanded a national consultative conference by January 20 to secure a “rescue path,” warning that failure to agree would force them to organize a “parallel” political process.
Security stakes
The political friction is playing out against a backdrop of precarious security transitions.
The African Union is currently restructuring its presence from ATMIS to the new AUSSOM mission, a sensitive phase that requires seamless coordination between the federal government and regional security forces.
Opposition leaders have warned that the political infighting is eroding the morale of the Somali National Army, potentially handing a tactical advantage to Al-Shabaab insurgents who historically exploit rifts between Mogadishu and the regions.
By agreeing to negotiate, President Mohamud appears to be seeking a dual-track solution: allowing the Mogadishu vote to proceed this week to demonstrate technical capability, while opening the door to a broader political settlement for the federal transition next year.
“We have no conflict, no resentment,” Mohamud insisted Tuesday. “We do not refuse to agree, and we do not refuse to move forward.”
