Somalia Ex-Leader Accuses Government of Sieging Opposition Amid Election Dispute
“They cut off our electricity, they cut off our water, they denied us food, and they prevented people from coming to see us,” Sharif said, calling the measures unconstitutional and at odds with democratic rule.
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s political standoff sharpened on Sunday after former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accused the federal government of cutting off basic services, blocking movement and turning security forces against opponents amid an escalating dispute over the country’s elections.
Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu alongside another former leader, Farmajo, Sharif said the authorities had disconnected electricity and water to the compound where he was staying, stopped food from being delivered and barred supporters and visitors from reaching him.
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The claims add to mounting friction between the administration and opposition figures, who say President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government is trying to weaken rivals ahead of the vote.
“They cut off our electricity, they cut off our water, they denied us food, and they prevented people from coming to see us,” Sharif said, calling the measures unconstitutional and at odds with democratic rule.
He also dismissed any election organized solely by the sitting administration, arguing that Somalia’s next leader must emerge from a process agreed to by all major stakeholders.
“There can be no election that is manipulated or designed by the current leadership,” he said. “Only a consensual and legitimate election can guide the country forward.”
Sharif also alleged that government security forces were being used to stifle opposition activity and disrupt planned protests over political issues and the situation facing displaced civilians.
He said the national security forces were being pulled away from their core duty of safeguarding the country and instead pressed into service to intimidate political rivals.
“We are not enemies of the nation,” Sharif said. “We are people who helped rebuild the Somali state. To be met with bullets or repression is not consistent with the principles of governance.”
The former president blamed Hassan Sheikh for the latest tensions, saying the president was behind moves to curb opposition politics.
The government has not publicly responded to the accusations.
The row comes as political uncertainty deepens in Somalia, where disputes over electoral arrangements have widened the split between federal authorities and opposition leaders, fueling worries about stability in the Horn of Africa country.
AXADLETM
