Thursday August 21, 2025 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday accused the country’s opposition of lacking a unified vision for national development, warning that fragmented politics could undermine progress on key reforms.
Speaking at an event in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug state, Mohamud contrasted today’s opposition with the coalition he joined in 2022, saying the current alliance is divided and directionless.
“The opposition I was part of in 2022 and the one that exists today are two different things,” Mohamud said. “There is no unifying vision. Everyone is going in a different direction, and that does not lead to progress.”
His remarks come after four rounds of talks between the government and the opposition bloc known as the Somali Salvation Forum failed to produce an agreement, underscoring deep divisions over Somalia’s political future.
The president reaffirmed his pledge to complete the country’s long-delayed constitution and implement a one-person, one-vote electoral system — key promises from his 2022 campaign. “We must overcome the current challenges, such as completing the constitution and returning power to the people,” he said.
Mohamud urged Somalia to move away from politics built on personalities and vested interests toward a system anchored in genuine political parties. “We must move away from politics based solely on individuals, and build political parties based on clear principles and visions,” he said, adding that such a system could bring lasting political and social change.
Puntland and Jubbaland, along with the Somali Salvation Forum, have opposed the federal government’s election roadmap, accusing Mogadishu of pushing unilateral decisions without broad consensus.
