MOGADISHU: Somali security forces were deployed around the residence of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Saturday, as political tensions escalated ahead of an opposition‑organized protest planned for Sunday, May 10, in the capital. Sources indicated the deployment near Khaire’s residence, located close to Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, was intended to thwart mobilization efforts related to the demonstration. Opposition leaders have described the planned protest as focused on forced evictions and home demolitions that have displaced hundreds of thousands of residents in recent months.
Mogadishu’s political climate has grown increasingly tense, with opposition figures and federal officials exchanging accusations as the planned rallies approach. Opposition leaders have previously called for mass protests on May 10, linking them to forced evictions and land disputes. Recent forced evictions have triggered armed clashes between rival security factions in the Warlaliska neighborhood of Daynile district, resulting in multiple casualties and intensifying public anger.
Opposition leaders have affirmed their intention to proceed with the demonstrations despite a heavy security presence. Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has previously indicated that protests would continue until affected communities receive what he termed justice and compensation. Opposition figures have insisted the protest will go ahead regardless of potential dangers, with organizers describing it as a peaceful assembly aimed at protecting the rights of displaced residents. The federal government has not yet issued a detailed public statement regarding the recent deployments around Khaire’s residence.
The deployment comes 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 May 15 unless national elections are conducted or a constitutional alternative is agreed upon. Federal authorities have recently replaced commanders at strategic checkpoints and redeployed troops in northern districts, moves widely interpreted as efforts to tighten control before the planned rallies.
Forced evictions and land seizures have become a central political flashpoint in Mogadishu. The United Nations has warned that more than 142,000 internally displaced people have been forcibly evicted from temporary shelters since the start of 2025, with the majority of evictions taking place in urban settlements across the capital. Government officials have maintained that demolition campaigns target illegal occupants of public land and are part of urban planning and infrastructure development, but critics argue that vulnerable communities are being displaced to make way for influential business interests. With the protest scheduled for Sunday and President Mohamud’s term ending days later, the capital remains on high alert for potential unrest.
Recommended Reading on ftlsomalia.com:
- Opposition Calls for Mass Protests on May 10 as Deadly Clashes Overshadow Dialogue
- Evictions in Mogadishu Ignite Fierce Political Showdown
- Opposition Leaders Confirm May 10 Protest Will Proceed
- 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
