By Mohamed Al-Muslimi Al-Kabashi

Three presidential contenders in the 2027 Somalia presidential elections have launched a coalition to oust President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

The three—Dr Abdulkadir Abdi Ali, Dr Mahmoud Mohamed Mahmoud, and Prof Mohamed Ishaq Idow—launched the Somali Council of Presidential Candidates (SPCC) to ensure the elections are held on schedule and the country moves away from clan-based politics.

The new formation has a line-up with Dr Ali (Chairman), Dr Mahmoud (Vice-Chairman), and Prof Idow as secretary, said in a statement that their leadership combines “knowledge”, “experience”, and “patriotism”, which is what we need today

The Somali people are following with interest the launch of the SPCC, which is an inclusive national framework that represents a real glimmer of hope in light of the challenges facing our country,” they said in a statement.

However, this is the second time a coalition is set up under a similar name. In November 2020, ahead of Somalia’s 2021 presidential election, 14 presidential aspirants came together in a coalition against then-president, Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo”. They included, among others, the incumbent, former Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire.

The SPCC says it is committed to the constitutional timelines to ensure that the 2027 elections are held on schedule, guaranteeing the country’s stability and respect for the will of the people.

President Mohamud’s original four-year mandate was due to expire on 15 May 2026. However, the president engineered a constitutional amendment that increased the presidential term from four to five years, which was adopted in March 2026.

The term of the president and parliament is now supposed to end on May 15, 2027, and the country ought to have held elections by then. On September 1, the President promised to hold elections in seven months.