Kismayo, Somalia — A major summit planned by the opposition Somali Future Council has run into a serious and unexpected hurdle, sources told Somalia Today.
The dispute, which threatens to split the alliance, centers on the role and status of federal lawmakers from the Somaliland region.
The meeting had been planned for Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland state.
The alliance, led by the presidents of Puntland and Jubaland, planned to use the summit to build a united front against the federal government. Yet talks have stalled over whether Somaliland’s members of parliament (MPs) and senators should have full participation rights.
Jubaland’s administration, which is hosting the summit, has taken a hard line. President Ahmed Madobe’s government argues that the Somaliland lawmakers should serve only as “honorary members” for the duration of the conference.
The move is driven by political calculations. Jubaland officials say their representatives cannot be full partners, per Somalia Today sources. This is because Somaliland claims to be an independent nation, separate from the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Organizers reportedly did not share this position with all participants beforehand, causing surprise. It remains unclear how key opposition figures, such as former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, will react to this stance.
A challenge to opposition unity
Jubaland’s move appears to back a position taken by Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni. In 2024, President Deni suspended all cooperation with federal institutions in Mogadishu, accusing them of overstepping their bounds.
Yet the alliance already shows signs of internal strain. While President Deni publicly rejects the federal government’s agenda, many of the MPs and senators he personally selected have taken the opposite stance. These lawmakers have reportedly backed the federal government’s controversial constitutional amendments.
By contrast, Jubaland’s President Madobe insists that his state’s representatives in Mogadishu remain fully loyal to his administration’s stance against the federal government. This new dispute over Somaliland MPs now further complicates these existing political dynamics.
This internal disagreement now risks overshadowing the Somali Future Council’s original, unified agenda. The council first announced its plan for a “national consultative conference” in a statement released on November 12.
The group’s primary goal is to challenge the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. In its statement, the council explicitly declared its opposition to any form of term extension for the president.
Furthermore, the council rejects the recent sweeping changes to Somalia’s provisional constitution.
The federal government passed these amendments earlier this year. These changes have transformed the country from a parliamentary to a presidential system, granting the president new powers.
The Somali Future Council also warned against the federal government holding any national election that is not based on a broad political consensus.
They fear the government’s push for a “one person, one vote” election is a political tactic. They believe it is meant to centralize power and sideline the federal member states.
A shifting political landscape
The political ground is also shifting beneath the opposition. Several high-profile members previously associated with the Somali Future Council have now joined a new political party that was recently announced.
This new group includes prominent figures, such as Abdi Farah Shirdoon, a former Prime Minister of Somalia. Another key figure is Fahad Yasin, Somalia’s influential former intelligence chief.
This development suggests a potential splintering of the opposition. It is not yet clear whether this new party will compete with the Future Council or collaborate with it.
Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 following a civil war. It is not recognized internationally as a separate country.
Yet a unique political arrangement still allows for the indirect selection of MPs and senators representing Somaliland’s regions. These lawmakers hold seats in the federal parliament in Mogadishu, a status that remains a complex and sensitive issue in Somali national politics.
As organizers in Kismayo grapple with this internal dispute, the summit’s primary goal now appears to be at risk. The alliance’s ability to present a united front against the federal government may now depend on how it resolves the sensitive question of the Somaliland MPs.