MOGADISHU, Somalia –Somalia’s former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, widely known as Farmaajo, has sharply criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of steering the country toward renewed political turmoil by excluding key stakeholders from critical reconciliation talks and pushing ahead with controversial constitutional reforms.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, Farmaajo said the president’s recent moves—including a tightly controlled political dialogue initiative—fail to address the core disputes threatening Somalia’s fragile political order.

“The president has taken a path that risks plunging the country into deeper instability,” Farmaajo said. “His approach to national dialogue deliberately sidesteps the key issues fueling the current crisis.”

Disputed dialogue initiative

Farmaajo’s remarks were prompted by President Hassan Sheikh’s launch of a new reconciliation effort on June 1, The Consultation Platform, intended to ease tensions between federal and state leaders.

However, critics argue the process lacks inclusivity and transparency, with the former president claiming the agenda and invitees were selectively chosen to avoid confronting the most sensitive national issues.

“The format, participants, and agenda of the dialogue demonstrate the president’s continued unwillingness to engage with the political reality on the ground genuinely,” Farmaajo said.

Central to Farmaajo’s criticism is the federal government’s attempt to amend Somalia’s provisional constitution, particularly 11 chapters previously safeguarded by multi-party agreements during Farmaajo’s administration. He accused President Hassan Sheikh of bypassing due process and consensus-building in favor of unilateral decision-making.

“The president is now planning fresh and unlawful amendments to constitutionally protected chapters,” he said.

Opposition figures argue that such reforms—undertaken without broad consultation or parliamentary approval—threaten the legitimacy of the constitutional order and may entrench executive overreach.

Farmaajo also denounced the government’s new electoral framework, which he claimed lacks consensus and violates citizens’ rights. He pointed to reports of forced voter registration under new electoral laws and commissions created without agreement from key political actors.

“Somali citizens are being compelled to register under a system that is both illegitimate and legally questionable,” he said, warning that the process infringes on fundamental rights and risks sparking public backlash.

Farmaajo called on the current leadership to recommit to the consensus-based constitutional framework that enabled President Hassan Sheikh’s 2022 election. He urged the administration to ensure that future political processes are genuinely inclusive and involve both federal and state-level institutions.

“Resolving Somalia’s political disputes and preserving national unity requires inclusive dialogue involving all levels of government,” Farmaajo stated. “We urge the president to return to the agreed constitutional framework and pursue meaningful consensus.”

A cycle of political gridlock

Somalia’s political system—built on a fragile federal model—has long struggled with disputes over power-sharing between the central government in Mogadishu and semi-autonomous federal member states. Recurrent conflicts over constitutional authority, election timelines, and governance structures have repeatedly stalled progress on key reforms.

Farmaajo, who served as president from 2017 to 2022, was also criticized during his tenure for power struggles with regional leaders and delays in holding elections.

His latest critique highlights a persistent cycle in Somali politics, where renewed disputes over process and legitimacy often accompany leadership transitions.

The deepening political crisis threatens to undermine international efforts to stabilize Somalia, which continues to grapple with security threats from the al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab.

The country relies heavily on international donors, who have urged Somali leaders to finalize the constitution and conduct one-person, one-vote elections to strengthen democratic institutions.

With Farmaajo’s public intervention, Somalia now faces the prospect of further political fragmentation unless efforts toward genuine reconciliation and power-sharing are urgently revitalized.