STATEMENT
By Dr Mahmoud MohamedMahmud
The Somali Presidential Candidates Council (SPCC) expresses deep concern over the continuing political, constitutional, economic, and security challenges facing Somalia.
The Council calls for an urgent national dialogue to safeguard the country’s stability, constitutional order, and peaceful political process.
Somalia is entering a critical period marked by disagreements over the electoral process, constitutional reforms, relations between the Federal Government and Federal Member States, the status of Somaliland, continuing security threats, and growing economic and humanitarian pressures.
Recent political negotiations between the federal government and opposition groups have not produced a consensus on the framework, administration, and timetable for the country’s next national election.
The SPCC believes that further delay risks deepening political uncertainty and weakening public confidence in Somalia’s institutions. The Council, therefore, calls upon the Federal Government of Somalia, Federal Member States, presidential candidates, opposition groups, and other legitimate national stakeholders to convene an urgent and inclusive political dialogue.
Immediate National Priorities
The immediate priority should be to establish a credible, independent, and broadly representative National Electoral and Boundaries Commission and to reach a national consensus on an electoral model capable of delivering a legitimate national election within an agreed constitutional timeframe.
The SPCC believes that Somalia’s political future must ultimately be determined by Somalis themselves through dialogue, constitutional legitimacy, accountable institutions, and peaceful political competition.
The Council further emphasizes that Somalia’s sustainable national security and stability cannot depend indefinitely on external financial, military, or institutional assistance. Somalia must continue strengthening its national security institutions, improving transparent and accountable governance, expanding legitimate domestic revenue collection, rebuilding public institutions, and advancing genuine political reconciliation among Somali stakeholders.
Somalia continues to face serious humanitarian and socioeconomic pressures, including poverty, food insecurity, displacement, unemployment, weakened public services, and persistent insecurity. Political uncertainty risks compounding these challenges and undermining Somalia’s prospects for economic recovery, institutional development, and long-term national prosperity.
The Somali Presidential Candidates Council (SPCC) therefore calls for:
1. An urgent national political conference involving the Federal Government, Federal Member States, presidential candidates, opposition groups, and other key Somali stakeholders.
2. National consensus on the structure, mandate, independence, and composition of an effective National Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
3. Agreement on a credible, transparent, and constitutionally legitimate electoral framework and timetable.
4. A firm commitment by all political actors to peaceful dialogue and the rejection of political violence.
5. Protection of Somalia’s federal constitutional institutions, national sovereignty, and political stability.
6. A Somali-led political process based on national ownership, accountability, inclusion, constitutional legitimacy, and the long-term interests of the Somali people.
The SPCC stands ready to contribute constructively to such a process and to work with all Somali stakeholders toward a peaceful, inclusive, and credible political settlement.
At this decisive moment, Somalia requires statesmanship, compromise, responsible leadership, and national responsibility. Political differences must be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation, and the interests of the Somali people must remain above individual, institutional, or partisan interests.
The Somali Presidential Candidates Council calls upon all national leaders to act with urgency and responsibility to protect Somalia’s constitutional order, preserve national unity, and create the conditions necessary for a peaceful, credible, inclusive, and constitutionally legitimate transfer of political authority.
Dr Mahmud is a leading candidate in the forthcoming Somalia presidential elections
