Somalia, 8 October 2025 - Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has accused the government of plotting to either assassinate opposition leaders or allow Al-Shabaab militants to do so on its behalf.
Commenting on the government’s recent ban on the use of vehicles mounted with military weapons in Mogadishu city, Sharif accused the government of planning to expose opposition leaders to attacks by Al-Shabaab or its agents.
“Disarmament means either I will be killed by government agents or Al-Shabaab,” Sharif stated at a meeting in Mogadishu called to plan for Thursday's opposition protest rallies.
The federal government and the Benadir regional administration had previously opposed the protest terming them illegal.
The former president said it was unacceptable for the government to disarm the opposition given the current political tensions.
“It is unacceptable for anyone who wants to kill you to ask you to disarm,” Sharif remarked.
He added that while disarming could be lawful, the timing was not justified, claiming that when he left office he handed over seized weapons to his successor President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Sharif, acknowledged that the opposition possesses significant amount of weapons due to rising insecurity which he argued President Mohamud's administration has failed to address.
Sharif’s remarks highlight the growing concerns among the opposition about the government's handling of security matters and the potential dangers posed by the weapons control plan in Mogadishu.
