Mogadishu (AX) — A Somali lawmaker and former senior ally of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday demanded the removal of security forces stationed near the Mogadishu home of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, warning that deploying troops against political rivals could carry lasting consequences.
At a news conference in the capital, Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odowaa said the government had made repeated attempts in recent days to take action against Sharif’s residence. He urged Somalia’s political leaders to consider how today’s decisions could shape their own treatment in the future.
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“All the previous pretexts were that the opposition was organizing protests, was armed and was destabilizing the city,” Odowaa said. “We are aware that, over the past five to ten nights, the government has been repeatedly wanting to target President Sharif’s residence.”
“The way you treat the president is how you can expect to be treated yourself in the future; leaders ought to respect one another and consider the long term,” he added. “I call for the removal of the troops deployed near the home of Sharif.”
Odowaa previously served as secretary-general of Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) and held several senior government positions, including interior minister. He resigned from the ruling party in March and later began appearing at opposition gatherings.
His remarks came after several days of mounting tensions between Sharif and Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).
NISA has accused armed men allegedly acting on Sharif’s orders of attacking and blocking security personnel in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district. The agency further claimed that men armed with AK-47 rifles, BKM machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades entered homes in the Tiintiinley neighborhood in an effort to provoke a confrontation with government forces.
Sharif has denied those allegations, saying government forces were targeting members of his staff and limiting movement around his residence. His office has also claimed that some employees were abducted and that roadblocks disrupted deliveries of food and water.
Neither side’s allegations have been independently verified.
The confrontation is unfolding against a broader political dispute between Mohamud’s administration and opposition leaders over proposed constitutional amendments, the electoral system and the schedule for Somalia’s next national elections.
Since leaving the governing party, Odowaa has moved closer to opposition figures and stepped up criticism of the government’s approach to federalism and elections. His appearance at Monday’s news conference represented another public break from the political camp he once helped lead alongside the president.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also raised concerns over the weekend about military deployments near the residences of former national leaders, warning that such movements could intensify political tensions and endanger security in the capital.
