MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is reportedly seeking to extend the terms of three of the country’s regional states, which are scheduled to hold leadership elections in June 2025. Additionally, Mohamud is aiming to prolong his own tenure by two years, pushing his mandate to 2028, Shabelle Media reported on Wednesday.
Discussions are ongoing with the leaders of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and Southwest states to extend their current terms until late 2025, thereby postponing the much-anticipated one-person, one-vote elections originally slated for June. This delay would run counter to the agreements reached during the most recent meeting of the National Consultative Council, which includes both federal and state leaders.
At the heart of this development is the proposed extension of President Mohamud’s own term, should the regional leaders’ term extensions proceed. The move comes despite earlier assertions from the Somali government that universal suffrage elections would be held at the regional level by mid-2025, and at the federal level in 2026. Critics, however, have labeled the plan as an effort to entrench power indefinitely, accusing the president of maneuvering to secure a prolonged hold on office.
The situation raises serious questions about the feasibility of implementing another term extension for the three regional states, whose leaders are already serving beyond their constitutional mandates. Somalia’s government, which has repeatedly touted the prospect of holding popular elections, now faces increasing scrutiny over its ability to deliver on these promises.
In recent statements, President Mohamud has dismissed his critics, maintaining that the country’s political trajectory will not be derailed by those seeking to preserve the status quo. He also signaled that the cycle of indirect presidential elections—previously criticized for its lack of popular legitimacy—would not persist, despite opposition claims that universal suffrage elections are unfeasible in the current climate.
