Wednesday June 3, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed announced on Tuesday that opposition groups will not accept government efforts to confine planned anti-government demonstrations to a single location in Mogadishu.
Speaking at a meeting of opposition politicians, Sharif said peaceful protest is a constitutional right and that citizens should be allowed to demonstrate across the capital.
The federal government has said the demonstrations may only take place at Eng. Yarisow Stadium, citing security concerns and the need to protect public order. Opposition leaders have rejected that condition, arguing that the government has no right to restrict peaceful political expression to one designated site.
Sharif said the government had already been informed of the opposition’s protest plan and that there was no justification for limiting where the demonstrations could be held.
He also called on young people not to fear arrest or repression, saying the defense of public freedoms requires resilience and participation.
The former president accused the government of detaining and mistreating people who expressed political views critical of the administration. He said the opposition’s concerns were not abstract political arguments but realities the Somali public had witnessed.
Sharif said opposition leaders intend to continue with the protest plan, describing the rallies as a constitutional right that cannot be denied.
The opposition is expected to begin anti-government demonstrations in Mogadishu this week amid rising political tension over elections, constitutional changes and the political transition.
The standoff comes after talks between the federal government and opposition leaders ended without agreement. Opposition figures accuse President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of pushing ahead with major reforms without consensus, while federal officials say the country must move toward one-person, one-vote elections and protect the capital from unrest.
