The opposition groups in Somalia remain divided due to mutual mistrust and an inability to rally behind a common position.
The Mogadishu-based group also oppose elections managed by the Federal Member States, placing them at odds with the FMS opposition leaders, further deepening fragmentation within the opposition.
At the same time, they have failed to present a clear and unified electoral alternative or importantly a political roadmap.
This has allowed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (whose term in office expired) to openly portray them as divided and lacking a practical vision for Somalia’s future.
The result is a political Catch-22: they rejects the current electoral process but has been unable to unite around a credible alternative system.
For the opposition to remain politically relevant, it must come together with a stronger and more coordinated response against what many describe as a one-party coronation election rather than a genuinely competitive democratic process.
