Tensions Escalate in Mogadishu as Government Threatens Crackdown on Opposition

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of Somalia has put the opposition on notice over armed rebellion in the capital, Mogadishu, with Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi suggesting that such a move shall be met with resistance from armed forces.

His sentiments come at a time when political tensions are escalating in Somalia over the upcoming elections, with opposition figures led by Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Hassan Ali Khaire and Mohamed Hussein Roble accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of undermining the country’s constitution.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is pushing for direct elections, an idea opposed by the opposition, which fears that without proper infrastructure for such elections, the idea would lead to term extensions in the Horn of Africa nation.

Somalia has been practising indirect elections, which are limited to a few people in the society but are usually controlled by traditional elders. The government of Somalia, however, believes this is the right time to discard the model.

“If anyone attempts to take up arms in Mogadishu, they will regret it,” Defence Minister Fiqi said on Friday. “These so-called opposition voices are nothing but public noisemakers. Threats are no longer tolerated – we are past that phase.”

In what appeared to be a thinly veiled threat, Fiqi referenced the violent crackdown on protestors in 2021 during the tenure of former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, warning that similar measures would be taken if opposition leaders attempted to disrupt the government’s plans.

Talks between the opposition and the government over changes in the constitution have collapsed. The federal states of Jubaland and Puntland have sided with the opposition, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of refusing to give dialogue a chance.

But on Thursday, President Mohamud dismissed the accusations, saying the opposition was resisting progress to maintain a political status quo. “There will always be disputes,” he said. “But without bold steps, Somalia will never see meaningful change.”

GAROWE ONLINE