Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has accused the federal government of restricting his movement and cutting off essential services to his residence following recent clashes in Mogadishu.
He said his compound has experienced interruptions in basic utilities and limited access, claiming that electricity, water, and food supplies were cut off while entry for visitors was also blocked. He made the remarks during a public statement in Mogadishu on Sunday, where he addressed the situation and its broader political implications.
“We have had our electricity cut off, our water cut off, our food denied, and people who come to us have been denied entry,” Sharif said. “All of these things are against the constitution and the democratic system.”
Sharif argued that the measures were part of a wider effort by state authorities to pressure opposition figures and disrupt planned public gatherings linked to elections, constitutional discussions, and concerns involving displaced communities. He said opposition leaders were being constrained through state actions affecting movement and communication amid rising political tensions in the capital.
He also accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of deploying security forces in a manner he said was inconsistent with their mandate for national defence and public safety. Instead, he claimed they were being used to target political opponents and restrict political activity in Mogadishu.
“We are not the enemy of the country. We are people who participated in the reconstruction of the Somali state,” Sharif said. “Shooting or suppressing us is far from morality and statesmanship.”
On elections, Sharif criticised the current electoral approach, saying any credible system must be based on consensus among political actors and public legitimacy. He rejected what he described as a process controlled by the current system without broad agreement.
“There can be no elections that are rigged or that the current system creates itself,” he said. “A negotiated and legitimate election can be held in the country.”
Sharif placed responsibility for the unrest in Mogadishu on President Mohamud, saying presidential decisions had led to restrictions on opposition activity and the movement of political leaders, further deepening tensions between political groups in the capital.
He also dismissed reports from security agencies alleging that weapons were discovered at his residence, saying the items displayed by officials did not belong to him and denying any connection to the materials presented during the security briefing.
“Not a single gun belonged to me,” he said.
The remarks come amid ongoing political disputes between government officials and opposition leaders over governance, security, and the electoral framework, with both sides maintaining differing positions on political participation and the handling of demonstrations and opposition activity.
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