MOGADISHU — Somalia’s main opposition coalition on Thursday rejected the planned Banadir Regional Council elections in Mogadishu, calling them unconstitutional, non-competitive and designed to favor the federal government.
The Somali Salvation Forum, which brings together several opposition parties and prominent political figures, said the vote scheduled for Thursday does not meet basic democratic standards and lacks broad political consensus.
Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said the process was neither free nor fair, accusing the government of engineering a one-party system under the guise of local elections.
“Although 61 political organizations initially registered, fewer than 20 remain,” Khaire said. “Many withdrew after realizing the process was structured to benefit one political camp. Anyone who speaks the truth or raises concerns faces intimidation, repression or arrest.”
Khaire also questioned the independence of the National Independent Electoral Commission, accusing it of acting in the interests of the presidency rather than as a neutral constitutional body.
Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, another senior figure in the opposition alliance, said Mogadishu’s status as the capital city requires broad national agreement and should not be determined through what he described as a flawed and imposed process.
“A credible election can only take place when all stakeholders with different political views agree on the rules,” Sheikh Sharif said. “What is happening now risks political conflict, social fragmentation and clan-based disputes, with results many Somalis will not accept.”
He added that the political energy and resources devoted to the Banadir elections would have been better spent addressing pressing national priorities.
In a joint statement, opposition leaders said the Mogadishu process does not constitute a legitimate election and alleged it is tied to an unconstitutional extension of political mandates. They stressed that Somalia’s provisional constitution limits government terms to four years and warned that any attempt to extend mandates outside that framework would be illegal.
The federal government has not immediately responded to the opposition’s latest remarks.
