Sunday April 27, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he has not yet decided whether he will seek a third term in the 2026 presidential election, emphasizing that his current focus remains on national security, economic development, and electoral reforms.

In an interview with Kenya’s Nation Media Group, President Mohamud stated that any decision regarding his candidacy would depend on the political environment closer to the election cycle.

“My priority right now is strengthening Somalia’s security, boosting the economy, and delivering the long-promised direct vote,” Mohamud said.

The president, who returned to office in May 2022, said the security situation in Mogadishu had improved markedly under his administration, citing a steep decline in terrorist attacks.

“Security in Mogadishu has improved significantly since I took office in 2022,” he said. “We used to experience explosions every month, but now they are very rare.”

Mohamud added that improved security had contributed to economic revitalization, pointing to the expansion of commercial areas and ongoing construction projects in the capital.

“I was elected on a program of fighting terrorism and restoring democracy in Somalia. That was my election agenda,” he said. “If you look back at my political program from the last election, we have been very successful in weakening the power of Al-Shabaab.”

President Mohamud reaffirmed that restoring full democracy remains central to his administration’s mission, highlighting the importance he places on implementing a one-person, one-vote electoral system.

The federal government, under his leadership, has prioritized universal suffrage ahead of the 2026 elections, a major shift from Somalia’s longstanding clan-based political system.