Somali opposition calls new Mogadishu protest, accuses government of obstruction

Monday May 11, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s dominant opposition alliance said Monday it will return to the streets of Mogadishu on May 16, pressing ahead with an anti-government protest after accusing federal authorities of blocking an earlier rally and using security forces to stifle dissent.

The Somali Salvation Forum said it would carry on what it described as a “peaceful struggle” over forced displacement, land seizures and what it called the misuse of power by the federal government.

In a statement, the forum said the planned demonstration was fully constitutional and noted that security agencies had been formally informed of the time and place to support public safety and the orderly movement of participants.

The opposition said officials had first insisted the protest be staged at Engineer Yarisow Ex-Konis Stadium. According to the forum, opposition figures agreed to the venue in an effort to prevent a security crisis.

But the statement said authorities later responded by deploying military, police and intelligence units across Mogadishu, shutting down key roads and curbing the movement of both pedestrians and vehicles.

Those restrictions, the forum said, disrupted everyday life in the capital and affected transport, schools, businesses and other public services.

It also accused security personnel of firing on demonstrators in Dayniile district, saying one person was killed and two others injured. The forum offered condolences to the family of the deceased and demanded an independent investigation into the shooting.

The federal government had not immediately responded to the opposition’s latest claims.

The forum also called for the release of young people and others detained in connection with the demonstrations. It urged an end to intimidation of opposition politicians, journalists and civil rights activists.

The May 16 rally is likely to widen an already fraught confrontation between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government and opposition leaders over demolitions, forced evictions and contested land ownership in Mogadishu.

Opposition groups say the government has removed residents without adequate legal process, compensation or explanation. Federal and Banadir regional authorities, meanwhile, have defended some demolition campaigns as necessary to reclaim public land, improve city planning and preserve order in the capital.