MOGADISHU (WDN) — The Federal Government of Somalia has postponed the National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting, originally scheduled for June 22, 2025, citing preparations for the country’s Independence Week celebrations. According to a statement issued via state media, the meeting will now be held on July 15, 2025.

Many had written off the National Consultative Council (NCC) as defunct after Puntland and Jubaland formally withdrew, stripping the forum of its broad federal representation. Its collapse seemed all but certain when Southwest, Hirshabelle, and Galmudug member states, formally joined President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Unity Party, effectively turning the council into an extension of Villa Somalia.

Nevertheless, the state media issued: “In light of the preparations underway to mark Somalia’s Independence Week, the National Consultative Council meeting, originally scheduled by the President of the Federal Republic, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, for June 22, has been postponed. The meeting will now be held on July 15, 2025, insha’Allah,” the announcement read.

“It’s not a council of equals anymore,” one senior analyst remarked. “It’s a roundtable where everyone echoes the president.”

The perception that the current NCC is neither inclusive nor constitutional has led to widespread doubt about any decisions it produces, especially concerning high-stakes issues such as constitutional amendments, electoral reforms, and national security coordination.

The upcoming meeting, should it take place as rescheduled, is expected to deliberate on the recommendations stemming from Villa Somalia’s recent political dialogue conference—an event also criticized for excluding dissenting voices and favoring allies of the federal government.

As Somalia prepares to mark its Independence Week, the postponement of the NCC meeting may appear symbolic—a gesture to avoid domestic controversy during a patriotic celebration. Yet underneath the ceremony lies a growing rift in the country’s fragile federation, where questions of legitimacy, representation, and power-sharing remain unresolved.

WardheerNews