MOGADISHU: Opposition leaders have confirmed they will proceed with a demonstration scheduled for Sunday, May 10, in the capital, despite objections from federal authorities. The protest is intended to draw attention to forced evictions and the destruction of civilian housing, which opposition figures say have displaced hundreds of thousands of residents in recent months. Opposition politicians convened in Mogadishu to reaffirm their demand for the protest, describing it as a peaceful assembly aimed at protecting the rights of affected residents and reclaiming seized properties.
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, a prominent opposition lawmaker, stated that the gathering would be non‑violent and focused on countering evictions and land appropriation. “The protest is non‑violent. It opposes the eviction and land appropriation affecting Somali citizens,” he said, claiming that hundreds of thousands of individuals had been displaced from their homes and businesses. He encouraged citizens, particularly those who were evicted, to participate in the demonstrations, adding: “All affected individuals should return to their locations of eviction to assert their rights.” Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also indicated that protests would continue until affected communities received what he termed justice and compensation. The federal government has not issued an official response to the latest statements by opposition figures.
The planned demonstration coincides with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s invitation to opposition leaders for national consultative talks on the same day, heightening political tensions in the capital. Opposition leaders have previously called for mass protests on May 10, linking them to forced evictions and land disputes. Forced evictions have recently ignited armed clashes between rival security factions in the Warlaliska neighborhood of Daynile district, resulting in multiple casualties and intensifying public anger.
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 occurring in urban settlements across Mogadishu. Government officials have maintained that demolition campaigns target illegal occupants of public land and are part of urban planning and infrastructure development. However, critics argue that vulnerable communities are being displaced to make way for influential business interests and politically connected individuals. Residents in Yaqshiid district have previously protested what they described as systematic land grabs, with families reporting that properties owned since the colonial era had been forcibly confiscated.
The political climate in Mogadishu remains highly charged as President 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, a move analysts say is aimed at tightening security ahead of the planned demonstrations. Government officials have warned that unauthorized protests will not be allowed, and security forces are expected to enforce restrictions to prevent unrest. Whether the Sunday demonstrations will proceed peacefully or escalate into further confrontation remains uncertain, but the growing mobilization by opposition leaders suggests that public discontent over evictions and displacement is unlikely to subside quickly.
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
- Somalia Faces Rising Humanitarian Crisis as 142,000 Displaced People Evicted
- Families in Yaqshiid Protest Alleged Land Grabs
- Opposition: President’s Mandate Expires May 15 Without Elections
- Federal Government Deploys New Commanders in Northern Mogadishu
