By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 23 December 2025 The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has responded to the recent ultimatums made by the Somali opposition regarding the 2026 elections and the ongoing constitutional review.
Speaking at a Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) campaign rally in Mogadishu on Tuesday, President Mohamud stated that the government accepts the demand for dialogue, which he referred to as the key point that came out of the opposition's three-day conference held last week in Kismayo.
"We have taken one point from the outcomes of the Kismayo conference. The platform is open, it is extended from the office of the president. The government is responding officially to this (dialogue) request," said the President.
On Saturday, opposition members convening under the Somali Future Council, issued an ultimatum to the President to convene all political stakeholders by 20 January 2026 to reach agreement on the electoral framework, failure to which they would be left with no choice but to seek an alternative political path to prevent a constitutional vacuum and renewed instability.
However, speaking to party supporters the President stressed that the government has never opposed dialogue or agreements but was against political grandstanding.
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"We are not opposed to dialogue, we are not opposed to agreements, but we oppose remaining in one place for too long," he added.
The President noted that dialogue is nothing new as discussions had occurred in the past, adding that the government is once again ready to sit at the table for negotiations.
"Discussions have happened before, and now we are ready for them," said Hassan Sheikh.
The president’s comments come at a time when the country's political scene is marked by confusion and continuous calls for political dialogue, following the opposition's conference in Kismayo, which has drawn significant attention.
