Tuesday May 26, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Mogadishu Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab on Monday accused Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni of inciting unrest and political violence in the capital, warning that authorities would not tolerate efforts to disrupt security, traffic or daily life.
Speaking at an event in Mogadishu, Muungaab said residents have the constitutional right to express political views, but that protests or political activity must not endanger public safety.
Muungaab added that unnamed groups were trying to return Mogadishu to insecurity and political chaos.
“Mogadishu is the mirror of the country. If it is peaceful, it will have a positive impact on all of Somalia, and if it is backward, it will affect the entire country,” he said.
His remarks come as tensions rise between the federal government and opposition leaders, including Puntland’s Deni, who is aligned with the Somali Future Council. The opposition bloc has announced plans for anti-government demonstrations in Mogadishu in the coming months over elections, constitutional changes and the political transition.
The federal government and opposition leaders remain deadlocked after recent talks failed to produce an agreement on the electoral process. Opposition figures accuse President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government of pushing ahead with reforms without consensus, while federal officials say the country must move toward one-person, one-vote elections.
On Sunday night, hundreds of young people gathered at Taleh junction in Hodan district for a demonstration under the slogan “Voice of the Capital.” Organizers said the gathering was intended to show support for peace, stability and Somali unity.
The youths said Mogadishu remains a symbol of national unity and warned that any attempt to undermine the city’s security would not be accepted.
The competing demonstrations and rhetoric have raised concerns that Somalia’s political dispute could spill further into the streets of the capital, where security forces have recently arrested young protesters and restricted unauthorized gatherings.
