Somalia President Strikes Electoral Deal With Opposition Faction, Sparking Division

MOGADISHU, Somalia - President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reached a deal with a faction of opposition leaders, which could further divide the country along political lines due to a lack of consensus among the political leadership.

The electoral model has been the most contentious issue, with a part of the opposition leadership now endorsing direct polls for parliamentary and state leadership, a partial win for Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is pushing for the implementation of universal suffrage.

Some of the leaders who signed the pact include ex-premier Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, ex-parliamentary speakers Mohamed Mursal and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, and veteran diplomat Dahir Mohamud Gelle.

The section of the National Salvation Forum leadership backed direct polls for lawmakers, a departure from the traditional model where elders play a crucial role in electing MPs. However, MPs will still vote for the president, who then appoints the Prime Minister.

This arrangement, however, directly contradicts constitutional amendments pushed by President Mohamud’s administration, which proposed a shift to a presidential system featuring a vice president but no prime minister.

Crucially, the upcoming elections will be conducted under a 2024 electoral law designed to align with the terms of the agreement. Regional leaders, meanwhile, will be chosen by their respective state parliaments, and any political organisation securing at least 10% of federal parliamentary seats will be formally recognised as a national party.

The absence of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Ministers Hassan Khaire and Mohamed Roble complicates the outcome of the meeting. Puntland and Jubaland leadership were also absent from the meeting.

Said Abdullahi Deni and Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe have been critical of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's proposals of direct polls, insisting that the country is not ready for the exercise. To them, a shift to direct polls could lead to unprecedented term extensions.

GAROWE ONLINE