By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 21 May 2026 – A dispute has emerged between Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and the Somali Future Council over remarks he made on Wednesday that opposition figures described as threats against its members
The controversy began after Fiqi warned against what he described as attempts to mobilise armed militias under the cover of political activity. The minister was referring to plan opposition protests scheduled for June 4.
“No one is coming to attack you, but the day you take up militias, your hand will be broken,” Fiqi said at an event in Mogadishu.
The Somali Future Council, an opposition coalition, later issued a statement condemning the minister’s remarks and describing them as “threats of violence” directed at opposition leaders and members of the council.
The council said it did not view the remarks as a personal opinion but as reflecting a broader government position. It also accused the government of exerting political pressure and mobilising security forces against opposition groups.
The council further called on Somalia’s security institutions to uphold the constitution, protect citizens and avoid involvement in political disputes.
Fiqi, however, defended his remarks in a Facebook post, saying they had been misinterpreted.
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The minister described it as “regrettable” that the Somali Future Council was attempting to justify the mobilisation of militias that could undermine peace and stability in the country.
He said he had never encouraged violence and that his remarks referred to a previous incident which he said occurred in Mogadishu’s Wardhiigley district in September last year.
Fiqi also accused some opposition groups of using rhetoric that he said encouraged armed mobilisation and confrontation. He insisted that the government was not planning any attack against political opponents.
“We made it clear to this group that nobody is attacking them, but they repeatedly claim they are under threat in order to find justification for gathering militias,” Fiqi wrote on Facebook.
The exchange comes after members of the Somali Salvation Forum, which is part of the Somali Future Council, announced plans to hold protests in Mogadishu on June 4. Organisers said the protests would be peaceful and intended to express their views on the country’s political situation and land issues.
Opposition leaders have accused the government of previously restricting attempts to hold demonstrations. The federal government has not formally commented on the planned protests, although officials have repeatedly said security and public order in the capital would be maintained.
The planned demonstration has added to ongoing disagreements between the government and opposition groups over elections, political dialogue and Somalia’s democratic transition.