Sunday October 18, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — A coalition of Somali civil society organizations urged the federal government and opposition leaders to immediately resume negotiations over the country’s elections to avoid political disputes and deepen instability.
In a statement on Saturday, Somalia Non-State Actors (SONSA), criticized the national electoral commission’s decision to announce a timetable for 2027 parliamentary and presidential elections before the government and opposition reached a political agreement.
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“SONSA considers the decision by the National Electoral and Boundaries Commission to issue a timetable for federal elections premature, as the political parties have yet to reach an agreement on electoral matters,” the organization said in a statement.
SONSA said announcing the schedule could make it more difficult to restart negotiations and could deepen divisions among political stakeholders.
The group also said earlier talks had produced an understanding that no major steps related to federal elections would be taken before an inclusive political agreement was reached.
It called for the immediate resumption of political dialogue and the rapid establishment of a technical task force on elections.
SONSA urged political leaders to demonstrate “responsibility, a willingness to compromise, and political maturity,” while avoiding actions that could heighten tensions.
The statement comes two days after Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that elections for both houses of parliament would take place on April 15, 2027, followed by the presidential election on May 15.
The commission’s timetable also sets Nov. 1-22 for reopening voter and political party registration, Jan. 21 for publication of a provisional voter list and March 15 for the final voter list. Parliamentary campaigning is scheduled to begin Feb. 27.
The federal government welcomed the timetable Thursday and said continuing political dialogue and implementing the election schedule were complementary rather than contradictory. It said consultations with political stakeholders would continue.
Opposition figures, however, have rejected the schedule and argued that the electoral framework lacks sufficient political consensus.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called for renewed negotiations, while former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo separately warned that proceeding without an agreement could lead to competing electoral processes.
Government and opposition representatives held technical talks in Mogadishu in July with support from international partners, but the negotiations failed to produce a final agreement on the electoral model.
The federal government maintains that Somalia should move ahead with one-person, one-vote elections under the revised constitutional and electoral framework. It has repeatedly said the door remains open to further dialogue.
SONSA warned that prolonged disagreement could create further instability and opportunities for outside interference.
The civil society coalition offered to help facilitate renewed negotiations and bring political stakeholders together to seek what it described as a lasting and inclusive settlement.
“SONSA stands ready to support the facilitation of dialogue and help bring the parties together to achieve a lasting and inclusive resolution to the political dispute,” the statement said.