Opposition politicians in Somalia have called for nationwide protests on 4 June, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of remaining in office beyond the expiry of his constitutional mandate amid continued delays in holding elections.
Former president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed said the government could no longer claim full legitimacy without an agreed electoral process in place.
“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud no longer has a valid term in office while there is still no agreed-upon election,” he said, describing the current administration as a caretaker government.
Lawmaker Abdirahman Abdishakur also criticised the president’s continued stay at the presidential palace, known as Villa Somalia.
“Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is now a former president and has stayed at Villa Somalia for five days after his term ended,” he said, calling the move unlawful.
“We are not intimidated by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s plans to deploy many troops,” MP Abdirahman Abdishakur said, urging families recently evicted from their homes to take part in mass protests scheduled for 4 June in Mogadishu.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire echoed the criticism, accusing the administration of undermining democratic norms.
“After four years, we now have Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an ex-president, sitting in Villa Somalia,” he said.
The political dispute comes amid growing tensions over Somalia’s delayed electoral process, with opposition groups demanding a clear roadmap towards elections and accusing the government of failing to reach consensus with regional leaders and political stakeholders.
The Somali government has not yet publicly responded to the latest statements or the planned demonstrations.
The remarks are likely to heighten political tensions ahead of the planned demonstrations, as opposition groups continue to challenge the legitimacy of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration following delays in the country’s electoral process.
