Somalia’s opposition alliance, The Council for Somalia’s Future (Golaha Mustaqbalka Soomaaliya), is set to hold its first general conference in Kismayo before the end of 2025, marking what is termed as a pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 elections.
The Council, a coalition bringing together the National Salvation Forum and the Federal Member States of Puntland and Jubaland was established in early October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. The alliance aims to unify opposition forces, safeguard Somalia’s democratic process, and counter any attempts to extend the current administration’s term or undermine the country’s constitutional order.
The Council’s Executive Technical Committee, composed of six members, held its first official meeting on November 5, 2025, in Nairobi. The meeting was chaired by Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe, and attended by senior figures of the National Salvation Forum, including Deputy Chair Abdi Farah Shirdon (Saacid) and former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Mohamed Hussein Roble.
The session focused on developing the Council’s initial roadmap, work plan, and coordination mechanisms. During the discussions, members unanimously agreed that the first General Assembly of the Council will be held in Kismayo, the political seat of Jubaland; a state that has consistently opposed the policies of Villa Somalia.
The November meeting follows founding meeting, which was first held on October 2, 2025, bringing together key Somali political figures: President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe) of Jubaland, President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland, and representatives from the National Salvation Forum, including former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Abdi Farah Shirdon (Saacid), alongside MP Abdirahman Abdishakur.
According to the founding declaration, the meeting focused on Somalia’s overall political and security situation, with an emphasis on achieving a stable, democratic, and economically viable future. The leaders resolved to:
The choice of holding the conference in Kismayo, rather than in Mogadishu or Nairobi, sends a clear message of defiance toward the federal administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who faces growing accusations of seeking to extend his term beyond its constitutional limit of May 2026.
The upcoming Kismayo conference is expected to finalise the leadership framework that will guide the opposition through Somalia’s political transition and the 2026 electoral process. Two key proposals are under discussion:
Establishing a joint leadership system where both the Federal Member States and the National Salvation Forum share executive authority. This includes designating former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as Chairperson of the Council’s general conferences, while the technical committee manages coordination and implementation.
The Council’s members stress that the initiative is not merely political but a constitutional effort to restore accountability and prevent one-party dominance.
The Council for Somalia’s Future has quickly evolved into a credible opposition bloc, positioning itself as an alternative power structure capable of influencing the upcoming electoral transition. Its formation signals a deepening rift between Villa Somalia and key federal states, particularly as talks of a term extension for President Hassan Sheikh continue to circulate in Mogadishu’s political corridors.
The Kismayo conference, if successfully convened, would represent not only an organizational milestone for the opposition but also a symbolic show of strength, a declaration that the country’s democratic process cannot be monopolized.
As Somalia approaches 2026, the balance of power between the federal government and regional administrations remains uncertain. Yet the emergence of the Council for Somalia’s Future suggests that the opposition is now more coordinated and determined than at any time in recent years.
With Kismayo preparing to host the Council’s defining meeting, one message resonates across Somalia’s political spectrum: the road to the 2026 elections will be shaped not just in Villa Somalia, but in the united voice of those challenging it.