MOGADISHU (WDN)— Reports from a Monday meeting of the Somali Salvation Forum (SSF) reveal growing fractures within the opposition alliance, as several key figures broke away to cut a separate deal with the Federal Government under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Some forum members who talked with WardheerNews clarified that the SSF itself has not split, but acknowledged that some members have defected and entered into agreements with Villa Somalia. They stressed that the Forum remains active and committed to ensuring that constitutional and electoral matters are addressed only through broad political consensus—particularly with the inclusion of Puntland and Jubaland, which continue to reject Mogadishu’s unilateral process. They noted that they will issue a press statement in due course.

Despite this stance, some members, including former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, have aligned with Villa Somalia. The arrangement reportedly accepts the implementation of a One Person, One Vote (1P1V) electoral model nationwide. At the same time, it stipulates that any unilateral amendments to the provisional constitution by Villa Somalia will be considered illegitimate, and the original Provisional Federal Constitution will remain in force.

The defection of the SSF members to strike a deal with Villa Somalia underscores President Hassan Sheikh’s divide-and-rule strategy, using side deals to weaken collective opposition. The defection also casts further doubt on Somalia’s already fragile electoral roadmap, with Puntland and Jubaland firmly opposed to what they describe as an exclusionary, Mogadishu-driven process.

The rift within the Forum raises urgent questions about the future of opposition unity, and unless a broad-based political settlement is reached, Somalia risks sliding into a prolonged standoff over elections and constitutional reform—potentially leading the country into deeper insecurity and prolonged conflict.

WardheerNews