Somalia, 27 September 2025 – Opposition protests that were planned for today in Mogadishu have been postponed after intense consultations with traditional elders.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, opposition leaders led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the decision was reached after elders requested more time to ensure the demonstrations proceed peacefully without endangering lives of residents.
“The elders present here asked us to allow more time so that the protest could be organized in a peaceful manner that would not endanger people’s lives. We felt it was right to accept their request,” Sharif stated.
The former president stressed that the postponement did not mean the protest had been canceled, but that it would take place at a later date. He underlined that demonstrations remain a constitutional right for Somali citizens to express their views.
“This is only a postponement, not a cancellation. The protest remains as important today as it was yesterday,” he added.
Sharif’s remarks came as Mogadishu was bracing for opposition-led demonstrations, which the federal government had previously refused to authorize, terming them illegal.
The opposition had called for the demonstrations to condemn what they referred to as persistent violation of human rights abuse by the government agents.