MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Prominent opposition figure and Member of Parliament Abdirahman Abdishakur has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of unilaterally altering the country’s constitution without national consensus and subsequently violating the very amendments he oversaw.
Speaking on Saturday, Mr Abdishakur, a senior leader within the Somali Salvation Forum opposition coalition, said the president had bypassed both political stakeholders and regional leaders in amending Somalia’s provisional constitution – a framework that was initially agreed upon in 2012 following extensive consultations with the country’s political elite.
“President Mohamud made changes to a constitution that was built on national consensus. He did so without agreement, and ironically, even failed to adhere to the new provisions he introduced,” Mr Abdishakur said.
He cited the recent appointment of two mayors of Mogadishu – a move he claimed directly contravenes a constitutional clause requiring the capital’s mayor to be elected through a direct vote. “Even under his own amended constitution, such appointments are illegal,” he added.
Mr Abdishakur also criticised the president’s handling of electoral processes in the federal member states, alleging selective application of election models. He pointed out that while President Mohamud insists on universal suffrage in government-aligned regions such as Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Southwest, he simultaneously endorsed indirect elections in the newly established Northeastern state – a contradiction he says says the president has failed to justify.
“The country is not being governed by the rule of law, but by the will of one man,” Mr Abdishakur asserted. “The president is running state affairs single-handedly, sidelining his own cabinet and undermining institutional processes.”
The opposition leader further alleged that security forces have forcibly registered Mogadishu residents for voting, describing instances where civilians were reportedly removed from vehicles at gunpoint.
“If registration is done under such coercion, will people be expected to vote with RPGs pointed at their heads?” he asked.
His comments come amid growing tensions in the capital, with heavy military deployments reported across Mogadishu in recent weeks. The government has not offered an official explanation for the heightened security presence.
Mr Abdishakur also condemned recent remarks by Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, who warned that government forces would respond with force if the opposition attempted to take up arms in the capital.
“How are we supposed to take part in an election under such threats? It is clear these warnings come from the highest levels,” he said, holding President Mohamud responsible for what he called an increasingly repressive political atmosphere.
The ongoing standoff has raised concerns about stability in Somalia, where political disputes have frequently escalated into armed conflict. With no resolution in sight and both sides entrenched in their positions, observers warn that the fragile gains made in recent years toward state-building could be at risk.
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