Why We Boycotted President Hassan's Political Theater

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched yesterday 16 June 2025, a long-promised national consultation platform, but the event was overshadowed by the absence of key political stakeholders. The opposition, along with the federal states of Puntland and Jubaland, refused to attend, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of the process.

You Can’t Choose Your Opposition

The gathering was dominated by the President’s allies, party loyalists, government ministers, and supporters, while critical voices were sidelined. By failing to present a clear agenda, the President effectively handpicked his audience rather than fostering an open, inclusive dialogue.

A true opposition exists to hold power to account, challenging policies and exposing government failures. It is not a role that can be assigned to political allies or silenced through exclusion. Yet, President Hassan’s approach suggests he prefers a compliant opposition that does not question his decision, particularly on contentious issues.

The 1P1V Deception

While the President professes commitment to a one-person, one-vote (1P1V) electoral system and portrays the opposition as its adversaries, this posture rings hollow. His endorsement, though couched in appeals to democratic principles, constitutes little more than political theater, a carefully crafted illusion designed to obscure the absence of genuine reform. The undeniable reality remains: his advocacy for 1P1V is neither substantive nor sincere.

His proposed electoral law still allocates parliamentary seats based on clan representation, meaning only members of a specific clan can contest for a seat designated to that clan. This is not 1P1V election it remains an indirect, clan-based system.

The opposition does not oppose electoral progress. Instead, they seek discussions on how to improve the electoral model rather than reverting to the flawed 2022 system. The President’s tactic of manipulating electoral rhetoric to confuse the public while extending his expiring mandates a tired strategy that will ultimately fail.

Unilateral Constitutional Changes

President Hassan Sheikh’s unilateral amendment of the constitution specifically targeting Articles 69, 89, and 90, which govern presidential elections and executive powers represents a dangerous departure from Somalia’s longstanding democratic traditions.

Historically, Somalia’s presidential elections have been conducted through a transparent and widely accepted process: a two-thirds parliamentary majority vote. This system was enshrined in the 1960 Constitution, ratified by referendum, and maintained in subsequent interim charters. Even during the turbulent multiparty democracy of the 1960s when parliamentary elections were often tainted by rigging presidential elections carried out by lawmakers remained comparatively credible and stable.

President Hassan’s motivations for these changes are deeply suspect. His amendments appear designed to achieve one of two outcomes:

1. Manipulating elections by confining them to Mogadishu and a few controlled regions, ensuring a predetermined result.

2. Extending his term indefinitely under the pretext of transitioning to a ‘one person, one vote’ system a move driven by his lack of confidence in Parliament’s willingness to re-elect him.

As a seasoned politician, President Hassan is well aware of this history. For years, as an opposition leader, he championed inclusive governance and condemned his predecessor’s authoritarian tendencies. Now in power, he must abandon divisive tactics and engage in good-faith negotiations with opposition leaders and dissenting federal states. The future of Somalia’s stability depends on it.

The Way Forward: Dialogue, Not Monologue

If the President genuinely seeks stability, he must end the exclusionary politics and engage in good-faith negotiations with all stakeholders, including the opposition and dissenting federal states. The remaining months of his term should focus on building consensus, not deepening divisions.

The boycott reflects a broader rejection of performative consultations that ignore real grievances. Without an inclusive process, Somalia’s political crisis will only worsen.