Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – Somalia’s Defence Minister has warned that the government may respond firmly to opposition challenges, invoking the phrase “Yahuud maa tihiin,” a politically loaded expression tied to the deadly 2021 protests against former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s attempted term extension.
Speaking in Mogadishu, the minister declared:
“No one can carry a weapon here. Tonight, as the Minister of Defense, I am saying: in Mogadishu, no one can walk the streets armed. If anyone dares, they will be confronted — ‘Are you merciless?’ That arrogance is finished.”
By referencing “Yahuud maa tihiin,” the minister evoked a moment when security forces fired on protesters in April 2021, forcing opposition leaders to flee. In that incident, one politician, denied shelter while running from gunfire, shouted the now-famous line, “Yahuud maa tihiin” – meaning “are you merciless?”
The minister’s use of the phrase suggests the government may adopt a similar uncompromising stance toward current opposition figures. The remark is likely to fuel debate among Somalia’s political class, reviving memories of the 2021 crisis that deepened mistrust between the government and opposition.
