By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Somalia, 6 July 2026 – Somalia is entering a new phase of political reforms aimed at strengthening state institutions and transitioning to a party-based political system, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Monday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected South West State leader, Aden Madobe, the president said the reforms represent the most significant political restructuring undertaken in the country since the establishment of the federal system.
He said Somalia had spent decades under a fragmented political order and was now moving toward a more structured system of governance based on public representation.
“In the 66 years of statehood and the difficult periods we have gone through, this is the first time Somalia is implementing formal political reforms,” Mohamud said.
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He said the federal government and several regional states had agreed on the need to overhaul the political system to align it with international governance models.
The president added that Somalia was moving away from personality-based politics toward a system built on political parties and voter-driven leadership.
“The era of personality-based politics in Somalia is over and will not continue. A system owned by the people, based on clear rules, is taking shape,” he said.
The remarks come as Somalia faces political tensions over the electoral framework and constitutional reforms, with some opposition politicians and regional states, including Puntland and Jubaland, expressing disagreement with parts of the process.