Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has defended his government’s push for direct elections, highlighted progress in the democratisation process and invited political stakeholders to participate in dialogue on matters of national importance.
In a televised address to the nation on Sunday evening, the president discussed political and security developments, the fight against Al-Shabaab, the implementation of universal suffrage and efforts to strengthen national unity.
Hassan Sheikh described the introduction of one-person, one-vote elections as the beginning of Somalia’s return to a democratic path that the country abandoned 57 years ago.
According to figures presented by the president, 1,824,853 citizens registered to vote across 1,102 polling stations in 50 of the 92 districts that existed in 1991. He added that 1,435 officials had been directly elected by the public.
“1,824,853 citizens registered to vote across 1,102 polling stations in 50 of the 92 districts that existed in 1991. A total of 1,435 officials were elected directly by the people.”, he said.
The president also said no polling station in the country had experienced an outbreak of violence, highlighting what he described as progress in conducting elections through public participation.
He reiterated that his government’s objective was to ensure that Somalis could exercise their right to choose their leaders through the ballot box.
President Calls for Political Dialogue
Alongside his defence of direct elections, Hassan Sheikh reaffirmed his government’s willingness to engage with political stakeholders who hold differing views on the country’s political direction.
He said the government remained ready to listen to recommendations and discuss issues of national importance, stressing that the door to dialogue remained open.
The president also extended a formal invitation to political stakeholders to participate in a dialogue forum, saying official invitations would be delivered through the appropriate channels.
The invitation comes amid continuing political debate over Somalia’s electoral arrangements and the roadmap for the 2026 political process.
The address also covered the government’s efforts to combat Al-Shabaab and address wider security challenges facing the country.
Hassan Sheikh linked the democratisation process to the broader objective of strengthening national institutions and preserving Somalia’s unity.
However, the president’s invitation to dialogue leaves questions about the format, timing and participation arrangements for the proposed forum to be clarified.
The government has yet to provide further details in the statement on how the proposed dialogue will proceed or what specific electoral issues will be placed on its agenda.
Mustaqbal
