MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s opposition leaders on Monday accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of seizing land and forcibly evicting residents of the capital to enrich himself and fund his re-election campaign, escalating political tensions in the fragile Horn of Africa nation.
The allegations were made at a meeting of opposition figures at the Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu, which was also attended by their supporters. The gathering came days after violent protests rocked the city over a government demolition order.
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a former president and a prominent opposition leader, stated that Mohamud’s “continued land grabs and forced evictions” must cease.
“There can be no silence about the abuses of power by the incumbent leader,” Ahmed said.
Other speakers at the meeting alleged that the president’s motivation for confiscating both public and private land was financial, aimed at amassing resources to secure a return to power. They called for concerted efforts to halt the practice.
The political accusations follow a wave of civil unrest this weekend. Residents of several neighbourhoods in Mogadishu demonstrated after authorities ordered them to vacate areas marked for demolition. The protests saw rare armed resistance from some civilians, prompting security forces to withdraw and government officials to call for dialogue.
The opposition also raised concerns about the country’s political future, claiming that with only eight months remaining in Mohamud’s constitutionally mandated term, there are no visible preparations for an election.
“The reason Mohamud is grabbing both public and private money is to ensure his return to power again,” said one opposition MP Ja’far Abukar. “He shows no intention of holding a vote, whether indirect or direct.”
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