Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — Mogadishu residents head to the polls Thursday for a historic but deeply divisive city council election, a vote President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hails as a democratic breakthrough but which a powerful opposition alliance dismisses as a “sham” designed to cement his power.
The standoff spikes political temperatures in the capital less than 24 hours before voting begins, pitting the federal government’s “one person, one vote” agenda against a coalition of former leaders and federal member states who argue the process lacks a legal framework.
President Mohamud urged citizens to turn out in force during a televised address Wednesday night, framing the ballot as a pivotal step toward the capital’s recovery.
“I stood here to talk to you about a dream we have been dreaming for a long time that will come true in a few hours,” Mohamud said. “It is a historic dream that influences the future of governance and the democratization of our country.”
He characterized the Banadir regional council poll as a restoration of agency for Mogadishu’s residents, who have been governed by presidential appointees rather than elected representatives for decades.
“The time has come for the people of Mogadishu to express their will,” Mohamud said, urging voters to ignore “messages of intimidation” and warning against attempts to disrupt the process.
Opposition outcry
While the presidency projected optimism, a starkly different mood prevailed at the Jazeera Hotel, where the opposition coalition called for a total boycott.
Operating under the banner of the Somalia Future Council, the alliance—which includes former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire—accused the administration of diverting state resources to rig the outcome.
They contend this vote lays the groundwork for a unilateral term extension beyond the president’s May 2026 mandate.
“We have gathered here to tell the Somali people that it is unfortunate that the nation’s force and wealth are being poured into a place… that will not produce a result that leads to hope,” said former Prime Minister Khaire.
Khaire, speaking for the group, declared the process “illegal” and devoid of the broad political consensus traditionally required for electoral changes in Somalia.
“We do not believe this is a correct election, nor do we believe the result coming out of it is correct,” he said. “It is an election that a group made for itself… to seek a term extension, we will not accept that.”
Deepening rift
This dispute over the Banadir vote represents the latest flashpoint in a widening constitutional crisis.
The opposition views Thursday’s poll as a test run for the federal government to dismantle the traditional clan-based power-sharing model in favor of a majoritarian system; they claim the executive branch is manipulating the poll.
The rejection in Mogadishu follows a high-stakes opposition summit in Kismayo last week. There, leaders from Jubaland and Puntland joined federal opposition figures to issue a stern ultimatum: if the president does not return to consensus-based politics by January 20, they vowed to initiate a “parallel electoral process” to prevent a power vacuum.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed reinforced this stance on Wednesday, dismissing the capital’s vote as a “waste of time” intended only to delay the inevitable end of the administration’s term.
“A governor is not being elected, and we do not accept the term extension the government wants,” Ahmed said.
Security and transition
This political showdown unfolds at a precarious moment for Somalia’s security architecture.
The African Union is currently transitioning its peacekeeping force from ATMIS to the new AUSSOM mission, a delicate shift that requires robust political coordination between the federal government and member states—coordination that has all but collapsed.
Critics argue that forcing a contested vote in Mogadishu risks diverting security forces from the fight against Al-Shabaab, which continues to stage lethal attacks in the capital.
Despite the boycott, the federal government appears determined to proceed. President Mohamud insists the vote marks a point of no return for Somalia’s democratic aspirations.
“Do not allow meaningless obstacles… or those trading in evil and sabotage to get in your way,” he told voters. “Election is a constitutional right.”
For the opposition, however, the vote represents a breach of the fragile trust that holds the federation together.
“If the President ignores these calls,” the opposition coalition warned in a joint statement, “we will proceed with holding an election to prevent a constitutional vacuum, security chaos, and the threat of terrorism.”
