Sunday May 3, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali opposition politicians said the country has entered a period of political uncertainty, warning of a potential constitutional crisis ahead of the upcoming electoral transition.
Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu on Saturday, opposition leaders said they had held wide-ranging consultations with traditional elders, scholars, women, youth, media representatives, and civil society groups on the country’s political situation and electoral process.
The opposition reiterated its rejection of any extension of power beyond constitutional limits and opposed what it described as unilateral or non-consensual elections.
“The constitutional term of the President of Somalia ends on May 15, 2026. After that date, we will recognize him as an ordinary citizen,” the statement said. “In cooperation with the Somali people, legitimate regional states, and opposition forces, we will pursue peaceful resistance, public mobilization, and national dialogue to prevent a constitutional vacuum and establish a legitimate government that reflects the will of the people.”
The group also called for the immediate organization of regional elections in line with the Transitional Federal Constitution.
Opposition leaders further accused the government of carrying out forced displacements, demolitions of homes, and what they described as unlawful arrests of young people. They specifically called for the release of detainees, including Sadia Moalim Ali (Saadiyo Bajaaj), Najiib Ali Osoble, and Sharmarke Mohamed Ahmed.
They stressed that the Somali National Army should remain a neutral national institution rather than a political tool.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recent signing of a revised federal constitution, which introduces five-year terms for federal institutions, replacing the four-year mandate under the 2012 provisional constitution.
The opposition has rejected the revised constitution, citing a lack of consensus and insisting that the 2012 framework remains the legitimate legal basis for governance.
