Somali government defends protest limits as Mogadishu opposition standoff deepens

Sunday May 10, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government on Sunday stood firm behind its decision to confine planned opposition rallies in Mogadishu to a single location, arguing that scattered protests across the capital could threaten civilians, choke essential services and ignite street-level confrontations.

In a statement, the Ministry of Information said the administration recognized citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, expression and political participation. It added, however, that those freedoms must be exercised within the law and in a manner that safeguards public safety and keeps the capital functioning normally.

The government said it had designated Engineer Yarisow Koonis Stadium as the official site for the protest, describing it as an appropriate venue for peaceful demonstrations.

“Peaceful demonstration is a legitimate democratic right, and the Government has no objection to citizens expressing their views in a lawful, peaceful, and orderly manner,” the statement said.

According to the ministry, opposition organizers rejected the stadium proposal and instead announced 22 protest sites across Mogadishu. The government said the move appeared aimed at bringing the city to a standstill and splitting neighborhoods along clan lines rather than staging a disciplined civic gathering.

“This is not responsible political expression; it is an act of violent political mobilization that risks undermining the peace, security, and daily lives of the nearly four million residents of Mogadishu,” the statement said.

The administration also raised alarm over what it described as plans for five straight days of demonstrations in the capital. It said the size, language and organization of the protests posed serious dangers to public order, civilian protection, essential services and everyday life in Mogadishu.

Security reports, the ministry said, indicated that armed elements linked to or aligned with opposition figures had been deployed in several parts of the city, including densely populated residential areas. Officials said such positioning could put residents at risk and turn civilian neighborhoods into shields for political activity.

The statement further took aim at former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who chairs the opposition Somali Future Council, over remarks the government said referred to former warlord and Sen. Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid surviving armed clashes.

The government said Sharif had reportedly told Qeybdiid that he too would survive the “upcoming battle.” The ministry called the comment reckless, saying it could push supporters to treat politics as warfare rather than a lawful civic process.

“No political group has the right to impose a multi-day paralysis on Mogadishu, endanger civilians, block essential roads, intimidate communities, or turn political disagreement into street confrontation,” the statement said.

The ministry said security forces had been deployed in a preventive and protective capacity. It said agencies had been directed to act with restraint, professionalism and respect for human rights while separating peaceful citizens from anyone carrying weapons, inciting violence, damaging property, blocking major roads or seeking confrontation.

The government urged political actors to lower the temperature, avoid mobilizing armed supporters, observe public order rules and channel grievances through peaceful, constitutional and institutional means.

The statement came amid rising friction between the federal government and opposition leaders over planned demonstrations tied to forced evictions, demolitions and disputed land ownership in Mogadishu.

Opposition leaders have said the rallies will be peaceful and should be held across districts in the Banadir region, including areas affected by demolitions. They accuse the federal government of removing residents from homes and businesses without proper legal process, compensation or justification.

Government and Banadir regional officials have rejected those claims, saying some demolitions are necessary to recover public land and improve urban planning. Still, the dispute has grown into a major political flashpoint, deepening broader tensions over constitutional reforms, elections and the balance of power in Somalia’s political system.