Thursday May 29, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali opposition leaders, led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, met with media executives in Mogadishu on Thursday to raise concerns over the shrinking space for independent journalism and government overreach, as their multi-day summit entered its second day.
The meeting is part of an initiative aimed at building consensus on electoral reform, political legitimacy, and national security. The summit, which began Wednesday, has drawn an array of political leaders, including four former prime ministers, ex-parliamentary speakers, and prominent lawmakers seeking to unify the opposition ahead of Somalia’s next election cycle.
“Independent media is essential to a functioning society,” Sharif told participants. “The recent violations against the press are deeply troubling.”
Opposition leaders accused the Federal Government of executive overreach, warning that such actions could erode public trust in the democratic process. The session focused on the mounting pressure faced by independent journalists and restrictions on critical reporting.
Former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Rooble echoed those concerns, cautioning that Somalia’s institutions remain fragile. “The Somali people have always supported universal suffrage,” he said. “But power must be transferred with constitutional respect and clarity.”
MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, one of the leading voices in the opposition, said the summit’s second day emphasized outreach to various sectors of society. “We exchanged views with media professionals on how to resolve the deadlock during this transitional period,” he said.
The summit opened with united backing for a “one person, one vote” electoral system. However, participants stressed that any transition must be implemented through broad national consensus and within constitutional frameworks. Leaders also voiced frustration with what they described as the Federal Government’s failure to provide a clear electoral timeline and engage regional stakeholders.
While the government did not send official delegates to the summit, it issued a warning earlier this week urging political groups not to mobilize private armed personnel in Mogadishu—a statement widely interpreted as an attempt to discourage participation.
The opposition summit comes just weeks after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud publicly invited political rivals to help shape a unified national strategy to defeat the Al-Shabaab insurgency and strengthen Somalia’s federal system. In a March 30 address during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, the president called for political consensus and pledged to include critics and former officials in national security and state-building efforts.
That call received initial support from several former leaders—including Rooble, Sharif, and former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo—who welcomed the proposal but called for transparency and a clear agenda. However, the atmosphere shifted after the president launched the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) in mid-May, naming himself the party chairman and assigning senior government officials to leadership roles.
Sixteen prominent politicians, including Sharif, Rooble, Farmaajo, and three other former prime ministers, condemned the move in a joint statement, accusing President Mohamud of politicizing national leadership and undermining Somalia’s fragile federal balance. The statement warned that the president’s dual role as head of state and political party leader threatened to deepen national divisions and compromise efforts at political reconciliation.
“The country is facing an unprecedented political crisis,” the group said. “Instead of convening a national forum to unify stakeholders, the president has chosen to deepen political divides.”
The summit also follows the collapse of the National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in early May that failed to achieve broad participation amid federal-regional tensions.
In light of these developments, opposition leaders now meeting in Mogadishu are seeking to build an alternative platform for national dialogue, one they say reflects broader stakeholder engagement and a commitment to constitutional governance.
A joint communiqué is expected in the coming days, outlining the opposition’s unified position on governance, election readiness, and security reform. Leaders are also working toward establishing a formal opposition council to coordinate future political activities.
The summit is seen as a show of force from Somalia’s opposition at a time of growing unease over political centralization. Its outcome may influence the tone of national discourse and determine whether the federal leadership engages or resists calls for change in the lead-up to the next elections.
