MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Somalia is facing an increasingly complex crisis, with widespread drought and land grabbing causing large-scale displacement, while deep political disputes persist over the constitution and the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Somaliland has received recognition from the government of Israel becoming the first country to recognside Hargeisa as a sovereign country after more than three decade of waiting. Somalia continues to refuse this move, a development that has further complicated the overall political landscape.
The spokesperson of the Somali Salvation Forum (opposition alliance), Mohamed Mohamud Diriye (Beyle), told Kaab TV that the federal government must present a clear roadmap to save the country and reach a national consensus on elections.
“We are constantly warning and calling for restraint. We are urging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to come to his senses,” Beyle said.
He stressed that the opposition firmly rejects any election organized unilaterally by the president, describing such a move as illegal.
“It appears to us that the president wants to conduct an election on his own, in which he would be both a contestant and a referee,” Beyle added.
In December, the federal government held a highly disputed election in Mogadishu, which was outright rejected by opposition groups. The process lacked transparency and was also opposed by the Puntland and Jubaland administrations.
Recently, the opposition-led Somali Salvation Forum announced that if no agreement on elections is reached by January 20, 2026, it will launch its own electoral roadmap, which it says is intended to rescue the country from political collapse.
The federal government has since issued a statement inviting opposition leaders to participate in a political dialogue scheduled to take place in Mogadishu.
However, in a statement released on Saturday, the opposition conditioned its participation on several requirements, foremost among them credible security guarantees.
This comes amid an ongoing political standoff between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the leaders of Puntland and Jubaland. The federal government has also refused to recognize Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe) following the regional election held in November 2024.
Beyle told Kaab TV that the opposition is categorically opposed to any attempt by President Hassan Sheikh to extend his term, arguing that he is seeking a two-year extension of his mandate.
There are growing fears that Somalia could slide into political and security instability if an inclusive political settlement is not reached, at a time when the militant group Al-Shabaab is steadily advancing closer to the capital, Mogadishu.