Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called on opposition leaders meeting in Kismayo to present clear, constructive, and practical proposals that can be understood by the Somali public, reaffirming the federal government’s openness to dialogue and compromise.

The President made the remarks while addressing a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Somali Police Force. He urged participants in the Kismayo conference to move beyond rhetoric and deliver ideas that offer realistic solutions to the country’s political challenges.

He stated that there is little value in political gatherings that fail to produce tangible outcomes, emphasizing that the government is prepared to make concessions if they contribute to meaningful and productive dialogue for the benefit of the nation.

President Hassan Sheikh also highlighted that freedom of expression is guaranteed in Somalia and that opposition groups are entitled to express their views openly within the democratic space. However, he stressed that there is a clear boundary between peaceful political discourse and armed action.

According to the President, political debate, criticism, and public protest are legitimate in a democratic system, but the use of weapons or resorting to violence would prompt a firm response from the state.

He further criticized the opposition for what he described as a lack of new thinking, arguing that repeating ideas and approaches discussed in previous meetings would not help resolve Somalia’s ongoing political and governance challenges. He questioned whether the Kismayo conference would yield any substantive proposals that had not already been raised in earlier forums.

The President’s comments come at a time when the opposition talks in Kismayo have drawn considerable national attention, with political observers awaiting the outcomes of the discussions and their potential impact on Somalia’s political landscape.