Thursday August 21, 2025
Dhusamareb (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on
Wednesday accused the country’s opposition of lacking a unified vision for
national development, warning that fragmented politics could undermine progress
on key reforms.
Speaking at an event in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug
state, Mohamud contrasted today’s opposition with the coalition he joined in
2022, saying the current alliance is divided and directionless.
“The opposition I was part of in 2022 and the one that
exists today are two different things,” Mohamud said. “There is no unifying
vision. Everyone is going in a different direction, and that does not lead to
progress.”
His remarks come after four rounds of talks between the
government and the opposition bloc known as the Somali Salvation Forum failed
to produce an agreement, underscoring deep divisions over Somalia’s political
future.
The president reaffirmed his pledge to complete the
country’s long-delayed constitution and implement a one-person, one-vote
electoral system — key promises from his 2022 campaign. “We must overcome the
current challenges, such as completing the constitution and returning power to
the people,” he said.
Mohamud urged Somalia to move away from politics built on
personalities and vested interests toward a system anchored in genuine
political parties. “We must move away from politics based solely on
individuals, and build political parties based on clear principles and
visions,” he said, adding that such a system could bring lasting political and
social change.
Puntland and Jubbaland, along with the Somali Salvation
Forum, have opposed the federal government’s election roadmap, accusing
Mogadishu of pushing unilateral decisions without broad consensus.