Tuesday May 27, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – The Himilo Qaran Political Party, led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has accused Somalia’s electoral commission of exerting pressure on students and educational institutions in Mogadishu to participate in an election process it describes as unilateral and non-consensual.
In a statement issued Monday, the party said it supports Somali citizens’ right to participate in free, fair, and inclusive elections, emphasizing that voter registration must not be forced or manipulated.
“Citizens cannot be forced to participate in a one-sided election process. Pressuring students and institutions contradicts democratic principles,” the statement read.
Himilo Qaran warned the Federal Electoral Commission against continuing what it described as “political coercion” of the educational community and urged independent universities and schools to resist participating in the commission’s disputed process.
The party further argued that the term of the current constitutional institutions is coming to an end and called on federal leaders to prioritize an inclusive and consensual election process to avoid escalating political tensions and uncertainty.
These accusations come amid a broader boycott by opposition parties, including similar criticism last week by MP Abdirahman Abdishakuur, who accused the government of attempting to force through a one-sided election without broader national agreement.
The Federal Electoral Commission has not responded to the allegations as of Tuesday.
The controversy underscores the growing rift between opposition parties and the federal government ahead of Somalia’s next electoral cycle, raising concerns about transparency, legitimacy, and national cohesion.
