Mogadishu (WDN)- In a high-stakes consultation meeting, opposition leaders and prominent Hawiye elders convened to assess Somalia’s fragile political climate and the mounting risks of instability if no agreement is reached before the president’s term expires on May 15, 2026.

Sources told WardheerNews that the opposition briefed the elders on their sustained efforts to avert both security and political turmoil, including multiple rounds of consultations with Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—talks they argue have failed to produce meaningful progress, placing responsibility squarely on the president.

Traditional elders, for their part, pledged to step in as neutral mediators, stressing the urgent need for dialogue, compromise, and a credible political settlement. They emphasized that only an inclusive agreement, one capable of reconciling competing interests and restoring trust in state institutions can prevent the country from sliding further into crisis.

With the political impasse unresolved, Somalia now stands at a critical juncture. The oppositions warned that the country is dangerously close to a dual collapse—political and economic if a timely agreement is not secured. Without decisive action to stabilize governance and reassure both citizens and international partners, the consequences could extend beyond politics, threatening national security, public services, and the broader economic outlook.

Some members of the opposition, speaking to WardheerNews, accused President Hassan of lacking genuine commitment to meaningful dialogue, arguing that his engagement in consultations has been largely performative. They contend that rather than pursuing a credible political settlement, the president is deliberately prolonging talks as a tactic to buying time to secure what they describe as a carefully engineered path to re-election.

As previously reported by WardheerNews, opposition leaders have declined to meet with President Hassan, not only in formal settings but also in informal talks at neutral venues—accusing him of systematically closing political space and eroding trust. They say confidence in the process has effectively collapsed.

WardheerNews