By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 2 June 2026 – Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed rejected limits to protest locations as opposition leaders prepare a June 4 demonstration in Moģadishu.
Sharif, speaking at an event in Mogadishu on Monday night, dismissed previous government statements that demonstrations in the capital should be held only in areas designated by security authorities.
“The old story they used to tell us — that people are brought to one place and every other gate is closed — we have moved beyond that. We will not accept it. That is not a story we are part of,” Sharif said.
“Protests should take place wherever they can. The whole city must come out,” he added.
Sharif also urged people to take part in the planned protest, saying demonstrations should be held in every possible part of the capital.
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His remarks come amid rising political tensions in Mogadishu, where opposition leaders have announced a protest against the Federal Government on June 4.
The federal government has previously said that, as the authority responsible for security in the capital, it has the right to determine locations for public demonstrations to protect the safety of residents and the city.
The Mogadishu-based opposition group Madasha Samatabixinta Soomaaliyeed said the June 4 protest will focus on land disputes and what it describes as the displacement of residents from parts of Mogadishu. The group added that the demonstration will be peaceful.
A previous opposition protest planned for May 16 did not take place. Opposition figures said at the time that the protest was postponed to allow for talks between the government and the opposition.
Sharif’s latest remarks are likely to deepen the dispute between the opposition and the government over the right to protest and the management of public gatherings in the capital.