MOGADISHU: Former Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has relocated to a residence in northern Mogadishu, according to informed sources who said the move was intended to bring him closer to his family and clan as political tensions escalate in the capital. The relocation is seen as a precautionary measure, with sources citing concerns about potential restrictions, including the possibility of house arrest, given the increasingly volatile political climate in Mogadishu.
Sheikh Sharif is among opposition leaders expected to join a scheduled protest on Sunday, May 10. Organizers have confirmed that the demonstration will take place despite warnings of possible clashes with government security forces. Opposition leaders have previously called for mass protests on May 10 over forced evictions and land seizures, with former President Sharif himself condemning recent government operations as “heinous attacks” on civilians. Tensions have risen sharply in the capital ahead of the demonstration, with opposition figures denouncing the federal government for forced evictions, home demolitions, and what they describe as excessive security measures. Authorities have not yet provided detailed public responses to these specific claims.
Sheikh Sharif has not issued an official statement confirming his involvement in Sunday’s protest, but opposition representatives have insisted the march will proceed regardless of potential dangers. Recent forced evictions have triggered armed clashes between rival security factions in the Warlaliska neighborhood, and the political atmosphere remains highly charged. Federal authorities have replaced commanders at strategic checkpoints and redeployed troops in northern districts, moves widely interpreted as efforts to tighten control before the planned rallies.
The former president’s change of residence reflects deepening anxiety among opposition figures as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term approaches its scheduled conclusion on May 15. Opposition leaders have declared that the president will lose his legal authority after that date unless national elections are conducted or a constitutional alternative is agreed upon. Sheikh Sharif, a prominent opposition voice, has previously described the government’s eviction drive as “unlawful” and called for accountability. The United Nations has warned that more than 142,000 internally displaced people have been forcibly evicted since the start of 2025, with the majority of evictions taking place in Mogadishu’s urban settlements.
With Sunday’s protest coinciding with President Mohamud’s planned national consultative meeting, the capital is bracing for a tense day. Organizers have vowed to proceed peacefully, but security forces have warned that unauthorized demonstrations will not be allowed. Sheikh Sharif’s new residence in northern Mogadishu places him closer to support networks, but also in an area where the government has recently strengthened its security presence. Whether the former president will personally attend the protest remains unclear, but his relocation signals the heightened sense of political risk among opposition leaders as Somalia’s constitutional crisis deepens.
Recommended Reading on ftlsomalia.com:
- Opposition Calls for Mass Protests on May 10
- Evictions in Mogadishu Ignite Fierce Political Showdown
- Federal Government Deploys New Commanders in Northern Mogadishu
- Opposition: President’s Mandate Expires May 15 Without Elections
- Somalia Faces Rising Humanitarian Crisis as 142,000 Displaced People Evicted
