MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday night hosted a high-level state banquet at the Presidential Palace for traditional elders from across Somali territories, in what observers see as part of a broader political campaign to rally national backing for the federal government’s planned transition to one-person-one-vote elections.
The gathering brought together influential clan elders, cultural leaders, and senior government officials at Villa Somalia amid growing national debate over Somalia’s electoral future and the government’s push to replace the country’s long-standing indirect clan-based voting system with universal suffrage.
According to a statement issued by Villa Somalia, President Hassan Sheikh praised the elders for their historic contribution to peacebuilding, reconciliation, conflict resolution, state reconstruction, and the preservation of Somali unity during decades of political instability and civil conflict.
The president used the event to present what he described as key achievements by his administration, including gains in security operations against Al-Shabaab militants, institutional reforms, democratization efforts, infrastructure development, and decentralization of governance.
Hassan Sheikh stressed that his administration remains firmly committed to implementing direct elections, arguing that Somali citizens have been denied their constitutional right to choose their leaders for more than half a century.
“We are firmly committed, and there can be no retreat, from ensuring that Somali citizens regain their constitutional right to elect the leaders they want after 57 years,” the president said during the gathering. “The incomplete electoral processes Somalia has experienced have produced many challenges, foremost among them insecurity.”
The Somali leader appealed to the traditional elders to publicly support the implementation of inclusive one-person-one-vote elections, saying the model would promote accountability, legitimate representation, and democratic governance across the country.
Somalia has relied on an indirect electoral system since the collapse of the central government in 1991, with lawmakers and senior political leaders selected largely through clan-based power-sharing agreements involving elders and delegates. Efforts to introduce universal suffrage have repeatedly stalled due to insecurity, political rivalries, constitutional disputes, and logistical challenges.
Political analysts say the federal government is increasingly seeking the backing of traditional elders to strengthen legitimacy for the proposed electoral reforms, particularly at a time when opposition politicians and some regional administrations have raised concerns over the timeline, legal framework, and preparedness for direct elections.
Several elders attending the banquet reportedly welcomed the president’s outreach and praised recent military operations against Al-Shabaab, improvements in security, expansion of public infrastructure, and ongoing efforts aimed at democratization and decentralization.
The meeting comes at a politically sensitive moment as Somalia prepares for future electoral processes while facing continued security threats from Al-Shabaab and deep divisions among political stakeholders over how and when direct elections should take place.
