MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia stands at one of the most dangerous crossroads in its modern history. The unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the state are under strain on a scale not seen since the collapse of 1991. This is not another episode of routine political rivalry or elite contestation. It is a defining national test, one that requires restraint, wisdom, and genuine statesmanship. Instead, we are witnessing drift, division, and a troubling erosion of leadership and legitimacy.
This crisis unfolds at a time of profound global uncertainty. The rules-based international order is weakening, geopolitical competition in our region is intensifying, and Somalia’s margin for error has never been smaller. Al-Shabaab attacks are escalating. Drought and economic hardship are pushing communities to the edge. Regional rivalries are sharpening. Yet our political class is consumed by infighting, public feuds, and paralysis. Senior officials and members of parliament trade accusations on social media, projecting disunity to the world and signaling vulnerability to our adversaries.
National unity today is not a slogan; it is a strategic necessity. We value and welcome the principled support of regional and international partners who continue to affirm Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Their positions matter. But no amount of external backing can compensate for internal disunity or failed leadership. No declaration from abroad can substitute for domestic cohesion, restore legitimacy, or rescue a state that is losing moral authority at home.
Unity cannot be proclaimed; it must be built. It requires visible justice, genuine reconciliation, fair sharing of power and resources, and institutions that give citizens in every region a reason to believe in the union. The federal government in Mogadishu must make unity attractive through action, not rhetoric, by protecting dignity, delivering services, upholding the rule of law, combating corruption, and ensuring equal political voice. Without this, appeals to unity ring hollow.
This moral seriousness must also extend to Somaliland. Its grievances are rooted in a painful history of mass atrocities, collective trauma, marginalization, and state collapse. These realities, and the stability and local governance Somaliland has built cannot simply be dismissed. Acknowledging them does not mean accepting secession; it means confronting history honestly. A political union that refuses to face past injustices cannot credibly ask its citizens to trust a shared future. Unity sustained by silencing debate is neither just nor durable.
External actors should help heal divisions, not harden them. Dialogue between Somalia and Somaliland must remain Somali-owned. Israel’s unilateral recognition of Somaliland has shifted the issue away from questions of legitimacy toward geopolitics, entangling it in regional rivalries and undermining long-standing African norms on borders. Such actions internationalize what must be resolved through dialogue, raise political costs without advancing peace, and freeze positions rather than encouraging reconciliation. Rejecting unilateral recognition is not rejecting debate; it is insisting that Somalia’s future be decided by Somalis themselves.
The most immediate danger, however, is internal and it lies squarely in a failure of leadership. Under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the unity of the country is now visibly at risk. The federal government is in open conflict with Puntland and Jubaland. Relations with opposition forces have broken down. Even within the governing camp, divisions are public and bitter. This is not the image of a nation being unified; it is the portrait of authority unraveling.
What began as electoral uncertainty has now become a full-blown electoral dispute. The mandates of federal institutions are fast approaching their end Parliament on 14 April 2026 and the presidency on 15 May 2026, yet there is still no agreement on an electoral framework to renew legitimacy. If these deadlines pass without a broadly accepted political settlement, Somalia will enter a period of contested authority at precisely the moment when unity is most needed. This is not a technical matter. It is existential.
History teaches us that political vacuums are never neutral. They are always exploited. Somalia’s enemies, internal and external, are watching closely.
A nation is ultimately governed by political legitimacy and moral leadership . Today, the presidency suffers from a deficit of both. Patriotic rhetoric cannot replace legitimacy. Only a fully mandated government can unify the country, negotiate credibly with Somaliland, mobilize citizens, or command sustained confidence from regional allies and international partners. Sovereignty rests not on words, but on authority derived from consent.
The President now faces a legacy-defining choice. He can continue along the familiar path of tactical manoeuvring, buying time, relying on rally-around-the-flag politics, and pursuing short-term advantage at the expense of long-term state stability. Or he can choose statesmanship: rising above narrow political instincts, engaging the opposition and federal member states in good faith, and committing to an inclusive, transparent, and broadly acceptable electoral framework.
This is not weakness. It is leadership.
What Somalia needs now is a national pact, not partisan maneuvering:
1- An immediate, inclusive, Somali-owned national conference to agree on a credible electoral path before mandates expire.
2- Recognition that legitimacy is a national security priority, as vital as defending our borders.
3- A clear, public presidential commitment to compromise and to conclude a political agreement before 14 April.
To our international partners: your support matters. Use it wisely. Support consensus, inclusion, and Somali-led processes—not unilateral actions or narrow patronage.
Mr. President,
History will not judge speeches about borders or unity. It will judge whether, at this most dangerous moment for Somalia’s sovereignty in a generation, you chose the nation over the office. We in the opposition are ready to talk, ready to compromise, and ready to put Somalia first. We are not calling for your resignation. We are calling for leadership—real leadership—before legitimacy collapses and the country pays the price.
This is the moment of truth. Let us meet it not as rivals, but as Somalis determined to secure our future.
Our unity is our sovereignty.
Our legitimacy is our strength.
Let us protect both.
Written by Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, a member of the Somali Federal Parliament, an opposition leader, the chairman of the Wadajir Party, and a presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections of 2026.
