MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Salvation Forum, a coalition of prominent opposition leaders and presidential candidates, convened at Hotel Jazeera in the capital city Mogadishu on Monday evening as concerns grow over the country’s political direction and the absence of a clear electoral framework ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
The closed-door session, chaired by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, brought together key political actors including former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Mohamed Hussein Roble. The gathering marks one of the Forum’s most significant meetings in months as it ramps up efforts to present a unified position on Somalia’s political transition.
According to political sources familiar with the discussions, the Mogadishu meeting is the first in a series of coordinated engagements the Forum plans to hold before a major conference scheduled in early December in Kismayo. Leaders of the group are expected to travel to the port city later this week to continue negotiations with regional stakeholders, elders, civil society groups, and other political actors.
The Salvation Forum has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government, accusing it of deepening political polarization and failing to produce a credible plan for the 2026 elections.
Opposition leaders argue that with Hassan’s constitutionally mandated term ending on May 15, 2026, the lack of clarity over the electoral model — whether the country will continue with the clan-based indirect system or move toward universal suffrage — risks igniting a major national dispute.
The government, for its part, has maintained that it is working toward political reforms and security stabilization, citing ongoing military operations against Al-Shabaab and efforts to strengthen relations with federal member states. However, critics say infighting within the federal structure and disagreements over resource control have overshadowed those initiatives.
The upcoming Kismayo conference is expected to serve as a pivotal moment for opposition leaders to consolidate their position, articulate demands for an electoral roadmap, and potentially announce joint political strategies. Analysts say the Forum’s moves could significantly shape the country’s political landscape in the months leading up to 2026.
