In a Villa Somalia brimming with tension and high expectations, a nearly five-hour meeting between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and leaders of the opposition’s National Salvation Forum ended in a frustrating stalemate.
What was anticipated by many to be a decisive round of negotiations instead laid bare the widening chasm between the two political camps, each entrenched in its position, and neither willing to concede ground on the country’s most pressing constitutional and electoral questions.
Beginning at 2 p.m. local time (11:00 GMT), the fifth official meeting between the President and opposition figures focused on two critical issues: the controversial constitutional amendments spearheaded by President Hassan Sheikh during his second term, and the broader framework for Somalia’s transition toward a universal suffrage election. These twin issues have formed the fault lines of Somalia’s latest political impasse – one that now threatens to derail plans for a timely, inclusive election and risk further instability.
The opposition’s position was clear from the outset. In what participants described as a firm and coordinated presentation, Salvation Forum leaders rejected continued negotiations unless the presidency first rolled back amendments made to the Constitution—particularly those to Article 4, which redefines key elements of Somalia’s electoral and administrative structures.
Their argument was straightforward: the amendments were passed unilaterally, without consultation, and undermined the spirit of inclusive transition. Without reversal, they insisted, there could be no meaningful dialogue.
President Hassan Sheikh, however, met the opposition’s demands with what one attendee described to Somali Stream as “unyielding resistance.” He dismissed the calls for reversal and rejected any suggestion that the process underpinning the current electoral framework – including the formation of election committees and the dual-tier voting system – would be reopened for discussion. For the President, the path forward is already paved, and the time for debate is over.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the exchange, the President did signal one potential concession: the possibility that the next presidential election could be indirectly conducted by a parliament whose members are directly elected by the public.
But even this gesture was framed conditionally; and far from the substantive compromise opposition leaders had hoped for. Instead, the President offered to “refer the matter to the responsible institutions” for their consideration, a move that seemed more like political deflection than genuine openness. By the end of the five-hour discussion, the tone had grown increasingly combative, and the meeting adjourned without agreement on a single major issue.
One participant described the conclusion as “not just disappointing – but definitive,” signaling that the dialogue, for now, has reached a dead end.
The Salvation Forum’s Regrouping: Emergency Meeting at Sheikh Sharif’s Residence
As dusk settled over Mogadishu, the opposition shifted its focus inward. That same evening, the National Salvation Forum convened a closed-door emergency meeting at the residence of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who serves as Chairman of the Forum. The gathering was described as both strategic and symbolic – a show of unity in the face of what they now see as an immovable Presidency.
Sources confirm that the mood within the Forum was serious but unified. With the Presidential Palace talks yielding nothing, opposition leaders resolved to craft a groundshaking public response that would clarify their position, consolidate their message, and prepare for the next political chapter – whatever form it may take.
Three senior members were selected to lead this effort: former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, Wadajir Party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, and former Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmed Isse Awad. Tasked with drafting the Forum’s official statement, the trio has been instructed to articulate both the Forum’s deep dissatisfaction with the President’s stance and its vision for an inclusive electoral process.
Additionally, a follow-up meeting involving all members of the Salvation Forum was scheduled for Thursday at 10:00 a.m., during which the draft statement is expected to be finalized and approved.
Forum insiders say there was no dissent during the Wednesday night deliberations; an unusual and notable occurrence in Somali opposition politics, which have historically been fragmented. The unanimity may indicate a growing resolve to either force the President’s hand or prepare for a more public confrontation.
A Dialogue in Name Only?
The collapse of this latest round of talks raises serious questions about the viability of Somalia’s political transition. International partners led by US and UK Embassies, and domestic stakeholders had pinned cautious hopes on this dialogue process, viewing it as a necessary—if fragile—step toward national reconciliation and credible elections. But with the President unwilling to budge on the very issues the opposition deems non-negotiable, and the opposition growing increasingly frustrated with what it perceives as unilateralism, the talks now risk becoming little more than a procedural formality.
What happens next may depend less on backroom negotiations and more on public political maneuvering. If the opposition moves forward with a unified public statement, and if that statement includes a clear rejection of the President’s roadmap, it could signal a breakdown not just of the talks – but of the wider political consensus needed to govern Somalia through its next electoral cycle. For now, the country watches. The Villa Somalia remains firm.