The salvation and National Rescue Council which brings together the opposition politicians on Monday officially boycotted the attendance of the meeting that the incumbent Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced to hold in Mogadishu.
The meeting is supposed to officially kick-off in Villa Somalia on Monday afternoon. Puntland and Jubaland administrations that are staunchly against the Somali Federal Gov’t announced that they are not participating the upcoming meeting.
The Secretary General of the Salvation and National Rescue Council, Dr. Mohamed Adan Kofi who gave an interview has said that the time for holding national consultative meeting has come to an end which is intended to debate in regard to finding a resolution to the political standoff in Somalia.
He also pointed out the invitation that the Somali President extended to the opposition groups to attend the meeting although the agendas of the meeting are not clear. The opposition politicians staunchly oppose the elections that the Somali Federal Gov’t is intending to hold in the country, and the amendment of the constitution.
He said: “The train that the Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is driving has derailed from the rail. It needs to be dismantled. He has to consult with his allies. What we want from him is a political dialogue.”
He said: “The Salvation and National Rescue Council is not ready to attend a meeting where the Somalis are not in attendance. We are not ready to participate a meeting that will segregate Somalis. The time for national consultations are over. What Somalis need is a genuine political dialogue.”
People who criticize the national dialogue accuse the gov’t and the leadership are using the consultative meeting as a vehicle to strengthen its power, and to bar the opposition from the country’s politics when the country is gearing up to hold elections in 2026.
The incumbent Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who won the presidency for his second term in 2022, pledged that he hold one-man one-vote elections in country which will change from the outdated method of indirect elections.
However, the deep seated political row that is between the central gov’t and some of the regional administrations particularly Puntland and Jubaland are staunchly against the constitution amendment. They accused Mogadishu of power grab.
