Kismayo – The opposition-led Somalia’s Future Council has given Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud a one-month deadline to convene political stakeholders and reach consensus on the framework and modalities of upcoming national elections, following meetings held in Kismayo, the administrative capital of Jubaland State.

In its final communiqué, the council warned that it would organize elections independently to prevent a constitutional vacuum should the president fail to respond to its call.

Opposition leaders accused President Hassan Sheikh of failures in governance, security, and development, alleging that his administration has pursued divisive and exclusionary policies. They further claimed that the constitution was amended unlawfully, that national security has been neglected, and that the fight against Al-Shabaab has stalled, weakening the Somali National Armed Forces.

The Somalia’s Future Council expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with the president on conducting negotiated and transparent elections, which it argued should be more advanced and efficient than the 2022 process, while strengthening local representation and parliamentary legitimacy.

The council rejected the planned Banadir regional elections, describing them as a unilateral process that deepens political divisions and violates citizens’ rights. It argued that the elections are unconstitutional due to the unresolved legal status of the capital and called on regional state leaders whose mandates have expired to organize elections.

Formed in October, the Somalia’s Future Council includes leaders from Puntland and Jubaland, alongside members of the opposition-led Somalia Rescue Forum. The alliance seeks to coordinate positions on political and security issues, including preparations for the 2026 elections, and has insisted that no electoral process should proceed without broad national consensus