By Shire Abdi - Reporter
MOGADISHU (Dawan Africa) Somalia’s opposition leaders publicly explained for the first time why talks with the government collapsed May 13-15, 2026.
Abdikarim Hussein Guled, one of the opposition figures involved in the negotiations, said in an interview on Dawan Media's Mizan Podcast that the discussions focused on three major issues: the country’s political situation, the President’s mandate and the electoral process.
According to Guled, the opposition proposed the formation of a caretaker government, arguing that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s constitutional term had expired. He said the proposal was rejected by the president.
Guled also said the opposition suggested the creation of an independent committee to oversee electoral matters and help resolve the political dispute surrounding Somalia’s election process, but claimed the proposal was also rejected by the government.
He further stated that the opposition called for the suspension of regional state elections until a broader agreement could be reached on a unified national electoral framework.
However, according to Guled, President Mohamud insisted that discussions should focus only on federal-level elections rather than regional polls.
The talks were facilitated by members of the international community, including Western diplomats in Somalia, who were attempting to bridge differences between the government and the opposition.
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The Somali Future Forum, which includes opposition politicians and allied regional leaders, has repeatedly argued that the president’s constitutional mandate ended on May 15, 2026, citing Article 91 of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution.
President Mohamud, however, maintains that the amended constitution extended the mandates of the federal government and parliament to five years.
The disagreement over the presidential mandate remains one of the central issues driving Somalia’s ongoing political tensions.
International partners, including the European Union, continue efforts to encourage both sides to return to negotiations.
EU Ambassador to Somalia Francesca Di Mauro recently reiterated the importance of renewed dialogue, stressing that Somalia’s stability depends on inclusive political discussions and compromise between political actors.