Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia’s opposition parties have issued a joint statement vehemently rejecting recent amendments to the country’s provisional constitution and the subsequent appointment of members to the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The statement, signed by prominent opposition figures, condemns the actions of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of undermining Somalia’s democratic process and destabilizing the country.
In their statement, the opposition groups argued that the president’s unilateral actions violated the constitution, particularly sections that prohibit any single leader or group from making decisions that affect the country’s governance without broader consultation. They emphasized that the process of amending the constitution and forming the electoral body was not in line with the principles outlined in the existing legal framework.
“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is disregarding the constitution and undermining the democratic gains of the Somali people,” the statement reads. “He has altered the country’s foundational legal documents and has created a hand-picked electoral commission that serves his personal interests rather than the national good.”
The opposition’s grievances are centered on what they describe as the president’s unilaterally imposed changes to the electoral system, the constitution, and party regulations, all of which they claim were crafted to consolidate power in the hands of the executive branch. The opposition also accused the president of bypassing key constitutional provisions by hand-picking members of the electoral commission without sufficient consultation or due process.
Former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire, and Member of Parliament Abdirahman Abdishakur, who were among the signatories, expressed concern that the president’s actions were not only a violation of the constitutional order but could also lead Somalia back to a centralized government model, one that consolidates too much power in the hands of a single leader.
“The structure of the newly appointed electoral commission undermines the federal system that Somalia has worked so hard to build,” the opposition leaders said. “It threatens to roll back the decentralization of power and return the country to the days of a highly centralized government where all decisions were made by one person.”
The opposition also raised alarms over the recent passage of regulations through both houses of parliament, accusing the legislature of approving a system that is fundamentally flawed. They characterized the process as a “selection” rather than an “election” of electoral commission members, where the individuals who select the committee are, in effect, the same people who will benefit from its decisions.
“The commission’s composition and the process by which it was appointed are deeply troubling. It is as though the player and the referee are one and the same,” the statement continued.
The controversy over the electoral body and constitutional amendments comes just weeks after Somalia’s parliament approved members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in a highly contested vote. Critics argued that the parliamentary approval process was marred by irregularities and lacked transparency.
The opposition’s condemnation of the president’s actions reflects growing political tensions in Somalia, a country already grappling with security challenges and the ongoing threat of al-Shabaab insurgents. Many fear that these political disputes could exacerbate the existing crises, potentially plunging the country into further instability.
As tensions rise, the opposition has vowed to continue challenging the government’s actions, urging the president to respect the constitution and engage in broader dialogue with all political stakeholders to ensure a fair and inclusive process for Somalia’s future.
