President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has issued a stern warning to opposition leaders in Somalia, stating that his government will not tolerate any attempts to undermine national security through the use of armed force.
Speaking during his weekly Friday address at the Presidential Mosque in Mogadishu, the President made it clear that no political figure or group will be allowed to carry heavy weaponry within the capital — a city that has, in recent years, made fragile gains in security after decades of conflict.
“Even as the President of this country, I do not travel in a vehicle mounted with a heavy machine gun,” said Mohamud.
“No one else will be allowed to do so either. The law on arms control applies to everyone equally.”
The comments follow recent tensions in the capital after a standoff between government forces and members of the opposition.
The clash occurred last week in Warta Nabadda, a district in Mogadishu, when armed personnel affiliated with opposition leaders attempted to enter a police station to demand the release of individuals detained in connection with alleged public order violations.
While opposition leaders insisted they were acting within their rights to secure the release of detainees, the federal government accused them of breaching the capital’s arms control regulations and launching an unlawful assault on a government installation.
The confrontation heightened fears of renewed instability in a city that has only recently begun to emerge from the shadow of daily violence, car bombings, and assassinations, weighed by the militant group Al-Shabaab.
In the aftermath of the incident, opposition leaders announced plans for a mass protest against what they described as increasing government repression.
The demonstration, initially scheduled for September 27, was called off following behind-the-scenes negotiations between the two sides.
Despite the flare-up, President Mohamud emphasized that the government remains committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and preventing a return to widespread armed conflict.
“The people of Mogadishu have suffered enough,” he said. “We cannot allow armed politics to reverse the progress we have made.”
Security in Mogadishu has improved considerably in recent years, with fewer high-profile attacks and an increase in police and military presence.
However, the capital remains tense, with periodic clashes between rival factions reminding residents of the delicate balance the country continues to navigate.