MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has issued a stern warning to opposition leaders, stating they will not be allowed to bear arms in the capital, Mogadishu, and will face forceful retaliation if they attempt to oppose the government militarily.
His comments come amid a sharp escalation in political tensions, with prominent opposition figures – including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, member of parliament Abdirahman Abdishakur, and former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Mohamed Hussein Roble – accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of undermining Somalia’s fragile state-building process.
The opposition has criticised the government for pushing ahead with plans to hold a one-person, one-vote election, which they argue is neither feasible nor inclusive due to insecurity and lack of federal consensus. They insist that an indirect election – the method used in Somalia for the past three decades – is the only realistic path forward given the limited time and control the federal government has beyond Mogadishu.
“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.
His comments come after five rounds of talks between the federal government and opposition figures failed to produce a consensus. Central to the deadlock is President Mohamud’s insistence on implementing a direct electoral model – a move that would require significant constitutional amendments and nationwide infrastructure, which critics argue are unattainable under current conditions.
Opposition groups contend that large parts of the country – including Somaliland, Puntland, Jubaland, and much of southern and central Somalia – remain beyond the reach of federal electoral institutions, making a fair and inclusive national vote virtually impossible.
They have also accused President Mohamud of pushing the electoral reforms to secure a term extension ahead of the end of his mandate in seven months.
In a speech 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.”
The latest war of words signals a deepening rift between the federal government and opposition leaders, raising fears of a potential political crisis as the country inches closer to its next election.
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