Military buildup in Mogadishu raises opposition fears during Somalia political dispute
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A prominent Somali opposition lawmaker has issued a stark warning that recent security movements across the capital may indicate preparations for a political showdown, escalating tensions in an already fragile constitutional dispute. Abdirahman Abdishakur, a member of the federal parliament and one of the government’s most outspoken critics, said newly organized security […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A prominent Somali opposition lawmaker has issued a stark warning that recent security movements across the capital may indicate preparations for a political showdown, escalating tensions in an already fragile constitutional dispute.
Abdirahman Abdishakur, a member of the federal parliament and one of the government’s most outspoken critics, said newly organized security units believed to be aligned with the presidency have been deployed at strategic points across Mogadishu, particularly near districts known for opposition political activity.
At the same time, he said, forces previously tasked with maintaining stability in the capital appear to be shifting operations away from the city – a change that he suggested has heightened suspicion among political rivals of the government.
“They signal to many in the opposition that preparations may be underway for the possibility of confrontation rather than accommodation,” he wrote in an opinion essay published Sunday on his Substack page.
While Mr. Abdishakur did not directly accuse the administration of planning violence, his argument was unmistakably cautionary. Governments often adjust security arrangements during periods of political uncertainty, he acknowledged, but in the current atmosphere such moves are being interpreted by opponents as signs of potential coercion.
The warning comes as Somalia’s political impasse over disputed constitutional amendments deepens. The opposition coalition known as the Somali Future Council – which includes the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland – has rejected the government’s unilateral changes to the constitution.
Negotiations over the structure of the country’s next electoral cycle have stalled, leaving the timeline for the next vote unresolved. The dispute has also raised fundamental questions about the legal duration of the current government’s mandate.
The administration maintains that recent constitutional revisions extend the terms of both the presidency and parliament to May 2027. Opposition leaders, however, argue that the original constitutional deadline – May 2026 – remains binding, effectively placing the legitimacy of the current leadership under debate.
Mr. Abdishakur also pointed to growing strains within the Somali National Army, suggesting that declining morale could become a destabilizing factor if the political crisis worsens.
He cited complaints among soldiers about delayed or insufficient pay, favoritism in promotion decisions and the displacement of military families – conditions that, he argued, could erode cohesion within the armed forces at a moment of heightened political tension.
Taken together, he warned, the combination of unresolved constitutional disputes, competing claims to political authority and unease within the security forces risks deepening the country’s already volatile political landscape.
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