By Hassan Adan
Somalia’s main opposition leaders have called for a large-scale peaceful demonstration in Mogadishu on May 10, accusing the federal government of forcibly displacing residents from the capital and demanding that affected families be allowed to return to their homes, in the latest sign of a deepening political confrontation ahead of crucial national talks.
The protest, announced after a high-level opposition meeting in Mogadishu on Wednesday, is expected to coincide with a nationally significant political forum convened by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has invited members of the Somali Future Council for discussions on constitutional reforms, elections and the country’s political future.
Speaking to Reporters ,after chairing the opposition Meeting at his Mogadishu residence, Former Somali President Sheik Shariif Sheik Ahmed urged residents of the capital to turn out in large numbers.
“The suffering of the people of Mogadishu cannot be ignored any longer. Families have been evicted from their homes they lived in for decades, children have been left without shelter, and Families have been scattered,” Sheikh Sharif said.
“On May 10, the people of Mogadishu must come out peacefully, lawfully and courageously to make their voices heard. This city belongs to its citizens.” he said
The planned demonstration comes amid mounting political tensions over disputed constitutional changes, election preparations and a growing disagreement over President Hassan Sheikh’s term, which opposition leaders insist expires on May 15 under Somalia’s provisional constitution, while government allies maintain that constitutional amendments approved earlier this year extended federal mandates to five years.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre said the opposition’s campaign was aimed at defending constitutional order and protecting ordinary citizens.
“This is not a struggle for political positions. This is a struggle to defend the constitution, to defend the dignity of Somali citizens, and to ensure that no family is displaced without justice, due process or compensation,” Kheyre told reporters.
“We are calling for peaceful civic action, not confrontation.” He added
Former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble also backed the planned rally, describing the current moment as critical for Somalia’s democratic future.
“The Somali people have the constitutional right to assemble, to speak, and to reject injustice,” Roble said.
“The future of our democracy cannot be decided behind closed doors while citizens are being evicted and political consensus is ignored.”
The opposition’s announcement follows its latest demands for inclusive political dialogue, including what it describes as a halt to unilateral election preparations and the need for broader political consensus on key national decisions.
The Somali Future Council, an alliance of former national leaders and senior political figures, has warned it may take what it called “responsible national measures” if no political agreement is reached before the current constitutional deadline.
Responding to the opposition’s call for demonstrations, Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the government would respect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly but warned against heavily armed security escorts in the capital.
“Every Somali citizen and every political group has the right to demonstrate peacefully under the law,” Fiqi said in a separate statement on Wednesday.
“However, Mogadishu is not a battlefield. No individual, regardless of political status, will be permitted to enter the city with heavily armed security convoys or weapons that threaten public safety.” The Minister said
The dispute is unfolding against the backdrop of controversial demolitions, land reclamation operations and urban redevelopment projects carried out in Mogadishu over the past two years, which opposition figures, civil society activists and displaced residents say have left hundreds of families without homes.
Federal authorities and the Banaadir regional administration have defended the operations as necessary to reclaim public land, restore urban order and modernise the capital, but critics argue that the process has lacked transparency, legal clarity and adequate compensation.
President Hassan Sheikh’s invitation for talks on May 10 is widely viewed as a crucial opportunity to bridge widening political divisions before Somalia reaches what analysts describe as a potentially sensitive constitutional deadline.
With opposition leaders mobilising supporters on the streets and government officials pressing ahead with dialogue efforts, all eyes are now on Mogadishu as May 10 approaches.
