MOGADISHU – Somalia’s opposition leaders have announced a major demonstration in the capital on Sunday to protest what they describe as illegal demolitions and forced evictions of poor residents by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration.
Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed made the announcement on Wednesday, flanked by senior opposition figures. He described the planned gathering as entirely peaceful and urged security forces not to interfere with demonstrators exercising their constitutional rights.
“The right to housing and the freedom to demonstrate are constitutional rights, not privileges that can be curtailed by the state,” Sheikh Sharif said.
The opposition accuses the government of overseeing the demolition of informal settlements in Mogadishu over the past two years, displacing hundreds of thousands of vulnerable residents and worsening the city’s already severe internally displaced persons (IDP) crisis. Critics claim the authorities have illegally sold state and privately owned land following the demolitions.
Sheikh Sharif called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to immediately halt the evictions.
“I call on President Hassan Sheikh to respect the constitutional right to housing. Every Somali has the right to shelter and security,” he added.
He appealed directly to Somali youth, urging them “not to be scared, and come out without fear.”
Major human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have repeatedly documented and criticised the forced evictions in Mogadishu. They say thousands of IDPs fleeing drought and conflict have been removed without notice or alternative housing, violating their rights and increasing their vulnerability.
In response, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre described the protest call as “a miscalculated political move” that could jeopardise the fragile peace and stability of the city. He linked the organisers to foreign interests and noted that the same leaders had boycotted a presidential invitation for talks to resolve the impasse.
If the demonstration proceeds, it would be the first large-scale public gathering of its kind in Mogadishu in recent years. Opposition leaders said they hope the government will address their grievances before Sunday to avoid confrontation.
The protest call comes amid heightened political tension over the lack of an agreed election roadmap, as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term in office nears its end in less than 10 days. The Banadir regional administration has yet to issue an official response to the planned protest.
