MOGADISHU: A national dialogue conference scheduled for May 10 by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been overshadowed by opposition calls for mass protests linked to forced evictions and recent deadly clashes in the capital. Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and other leaders from the opposition-backed Somali Future Council announced plans to lead demonstrations against the government on Sunday, urging residents who have lost their homes to participate.
The protest announcement followed security operations carried out by government forces ahead of the planned talks, which sparked anger among residents and opposition groups. Multiple neighborhoods in Mogadishu have experienced demolitions and displacement activities in recent weeks, with some situations escalating into armed confrontations. On Wednesday evening, government forces initiated an operation in the Warlaliska area of the Daynile district, facing armed resistance from local residents, according to witnesses and local sources. Reports suggested multiple fatalities in the clashes, though the precise number of deaths remained uncertain. Tensions continued to remain high in the area on Thursday.
The violence comes as President Mohamud’s four‑year term is set to expire on May 15, 2026. Opposition figures have accused the president of steering the nation toward a perilous political situation that could damage trust in Somalia’s electoral system and exacerbate security problems. Opposition leaders have previously declared that President Mohamud will lose his legal authority after May 15 unless national elections are conducted or a constitutional alternative is agreed upon. The federal government has made no public comment regarding the opposition’s claims or the reported casualties resulting from the clashes.
The planned May 10 national consultative meeting, which was intended to bring together political stakeholders to address electoral disputes and governance issues, now faces an uncertain outlook as opposition leaders have called for street protests on the same day. The Somali Future Council has voiced deep concern over delays in the electoral process and has conditioned its participation in the May 10 dialogue on a halt to what it described as electoral activities and securing impartial mediation. The council has also warned that after May 15 it will take measures to prevent a power vacuum or unconstitutional rule.
Forced evictions and land disputes have become a flashpoint in Mogadishu. Previous government‑led demolition operations have triggered armed clashes between rival security factions, with residents and opposition figures accusing the administration of targeting specific communities. The federal government has maintained that evictions target illegal occupants of public land, but critics say even residents with legal ownership documents have lost homes. With the president’s term nearing its end and no electoral framework in place, the political climate in Mogadishu remains highly tense. International partners, including the United Nations and the European Union, have called for restraint and urged all parties to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve the crisis.
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