Former PM: President Hassan Sheikh Squandered a Golden Opportunity for Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 1 – With just 11 months remaining in his term, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing renewed pressure from the opposition, including former leaders who have returned to Mogadishu and launched a political campaign calling for inclusive and credible elections.

Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused President Mohamud of dismantling the national consensus forged at the 2000 Arta Peace Conference in Djibouti, which laid the foundation for Somalia’s post-conflict governance framework.

“The president has destroyed the Carta Agreement reached 25 years ago. Unfortunately, he has wasted a golden opportunity for this nation,” Khaire said during his speech at an opposition forum in Mogadishu on Saturday. 

Khaire and other opposition leaders claim President Mohamud has prioritized consolidating political power over addressing key national challenges. Among the missed opportunities, critics point to the stalled war against Al-Shabaab, the federal government’s military incursion into the southern Jubaland region, and renewed conflict in areas previously secured from militants over the past decade.

The opposition also accuses the president of failing to deliver on promises to finalize a broadly accepted national constitution, establish a unified and timely federal electoral framework, and implement fair power-sharing arrangements between the federal government and member states.

Some politicians have alleged that President Mohamud has pursued a policy rooted in favoritism, clan loyalties, and personal alliances, centralizing executive power while sidelining both parliament and the cabinet, which they describe as increasingly symbolic.

Somalia is now grappling with mounting security threats from Al-Shabaab, a fractured political environment, and the absence of a consensus-based electoral roadmap. The country’s international backing—particularly from the United States—has also shown signs of decline.

In addition, the new African Union mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which replaced ATMIS in January 2025, is reportedly struggling to function due to a funding shortfall. The U.S. government has declined to finance the mission, urging the African Union to fill the gap, including covering salaries for more than 11,000 Somali troops.

GAROWE ONLINE