MOGADISHU (Dawan Africa) – The Somali Salvation Forum has issued a strong warning against what it described as an attempt by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration to conduct an election in Mogadishu through intimidation and the use of force.
In a communiqué released on Sunday after a two-day meeting in the capital, the Forum expressed deep concern over the electoral process planned for Banadir region, cautioning that it could undermine public confidence in Somalia’s democratic system.
“The Forum warns of the dangers and consequences of a gunpoint election being organized in Banadir by the administration of President Hassan Sheikh,” the statement said.
The Forum emphasized that elections in Somalia must strictly follow the principles of legality, transparency, and fairness, insisting that no credible process can be based on “coercion or the barrel of a gun.”
It also accused the government of disregarding the unresolved issue of Mogadishu’s special status, pointing out that no clear framework has been established for the capital’s governance. “The Forum warns of the risks and outcomes of holding elections in Banadir while the status of Mogadishu remains unresolved and without agreement on the process, laws, and the electoral commission,” the statement added.
The Somali Salvation Forum unites prominent opposition leaders, although some members have recently signed separate agreements with the government on the roadmap for the upcoming elections. Other factions within the Forum, however, continue to reject the framework reached between the government and their counterparts.