Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) Somalia’s political leaders return to the table today for the second round of talks between the Federal Government and the opposition-led Somalia Salvation Forum. The discussions, held at Villa Somalia, follow a first round that was widely viewed as a diplomatic success—largely because both sides agreed on an agenda and sat face-to-face for the first time in months, without direct mediation from international partners.
This time, the stakes are higher.
The agenda centers on two critical and unresolved national issues:
- The review of the first four chapters of the provisional constitution, which address the structure of government and the electoral system.
- The framework for national elections, including whether Somalia will proceed with a one-person-one-vote model under the current legal and institutional arrangements.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is pushing for the opposition to accept the amended chapters and move forward with discussions on the remaining sections. The opposition, however, argues that the constitutional process should be suspended until after the elections, citing concerns that any changes now would give the presidency an unfair advantage.
On the electoral front, the President seeks to implement the current electoral law and proceed with the existing National Independent Electoral Commission. The opposition rejects both, instead proposing a hybrid model—somewhere between direct and indirect voting—that would allow them to retain influence in the process.
So far, the two sides remain far apart.
Political observers believe that neither party expects to reach a binding agreement during this round. Instead, both appear focused on managing time. The President’s strategy seems aimed at pushing the electoral process far enough along that it becomes politically irreversible before his term ends in May 2026. Meanwhile, the opposition is trying to slow that process, hoping to reach the end of the term and rejoin negotiations as equals in the next political cycle.
This political game has entered extra time. The opposition is stalling—looking to drag the contest to penalties, where a new transition could reset the scoreboard. The President, on the other hand, is defending his early goal, trying to run down the clock until May 2026. But if neither side plays to win on the pitch of reform, the Somali people will once again be left watching from the sidelines—frustrated, powerless, and without a result.
