Monday September 1, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali Salvation Forum, led by former
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has accused the federal government of neglecting
the fight against terrorist groups while focusing on selling public land.
The opposition group, which concluded a two-day meeting in
Mogadishu on Sunday, urged government leaders to reach an inclusive political
agreement and hold local elections as soon as possible.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Forum declared
it would not accept any extension of the current administration’s mandate
beyond the scheduled presidential election date of May 15, 2026.
“To save the country from political uncertainty, the
remaining short time in the term of the Parliament and the President should be
used to agree on a viable, inclusive election — better than the one in 2022,”
the statement read.
The Forum also called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to
reverse what it described as “illegal amendments” to the 2012 constitution,
warning that such changes risk plunging the country into chaos and creating
conflicting legal frameworks.
“The Forum considers the electoral law, the party law, and
the Electoral Commission established by the President to be a blatant
deception. The delay in elections at the local, state, and federal levels is
simply an attempt to extend the term,” the statement added.
The meeting comes just days after several prominent
opposition leaders who previously belonged to the Somali Salvation Forum signed
an electoral framework agreement with the federal government.