Fighting in Mogadishu Deepens Somalia's Political Crisis
Faisal Ali
Hundreds of families fled their homes in Mogadishu on June 3 after armed clashes erupted near the homes of opposition leaders, deepening a political crisis over presidential term extensions and election plans. The violence paralyzed major roads and the city's largest market, raising fears of a broader breakdown in Somalia's fragile political order.
Armed clashes on June 3 in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, forced hundreds of families to flee their homes, paralyzed main roads and the central market, and threatened to deepen the country's protracted political crisis in the Horn of Africa.
The fighting erupted in the afternoon near the homes of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, opposition figures who were planning protests against what they called the illegal extension of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term.
According to Mustafa, a three-wheeled taxi driver, the heavy clashes sent people running for cover. "We haven't seen such a bad fight in years," he said.
Security forces blocked Maka al-Mukarama Road, one of Mogadishu's main arteries, while Bakara Market, the city's largest commercial hub, was almost entirely shut. "Look, it's midday and there's hardly anyone. All shops are closed," said Ahmed, a trader at Bakara Market.
Ali Wardheere, deputy governor of the Central Bank, estimated direct damage to businesses and services at $3.8 million, though he stressed the figure was a model-based projection, not an official tally.
Constitutional and electoral disputes
The crisis stems from parliament's approval of constitutional amendments that extend President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term by a year, starting May 15. The opposition has rejected the decision and begun referring to Mohamud as a "former president."
Two of Somalia's most influential federal states have also rejected the changes, leaving the country divided over the constitutional framework for upcoming elections, with no constitutional court to resolve the dispute.
President Mohamud argues the amendments are necessary to move toward direct elections for the first time since the 1960s. The government accuses the opposition of making demands that undermine "citizens' fundamental right to vote and stand for office."
Meanwhile, the opposition, united under the Somali Future Council Alliance and including former prime ministers, ex-presidents, and leaders of two federal states, contends the push for direct elections is a pretext for Mohamud to extend his term and potentially win re-election.
Risk of political collapse
Ahmed Abdi Koshin, a federal lawmaker who boycotted the constitutional draft, warned that the entire political agreement could unravel. "This process clearly lacks support... The original constitution, though imperfect, is the only glue holding Somalia together," he said.
Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, a lower-house MP who supports the amendments, argued that further delay is unacceptable. "We have waited more than 12 years. A generation of Somalis has never voted. A real election would be a landmark," he said, while criticizing the old indirect electoral system as corrupt, with parliamentary seats sold for between $100,000 and $1.3 million.
Wider fallout
A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described Somalia's elite as "strategically divided about the kind of state they want: a strong central state or a weak decentralized one, and tactically about who the right candidate is."
Rifts are widening on multiple fronts. Puntland and Jubaland, two of the six federal states, have withdrawn from the federal arrangement over the new constitution. Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, remains entirely outside the amendment process and is pursuing its own international agreements.
Amid regional crises such as Sudan's civil war and disease outbreaks that have diverted international attention, Somalia also faces a deepening humanitarian crisis and aid cuts, prompting famine monitors to warn of rising food insecurity.
Yusuf Aynte, a veteran religious leader and former lawmaker, urged Somali leaders to build consensus rather than impose change. "Right now, Somalia has too many problems and cannot afford distractions like this," he said.
Jamal Shiil, a youth activist, warned that young Somalis will bear the consequences of prolonged instability. "Young people want to make a living here, want a peaceful Somalia and not to leave because of problems. But if things don't change, they won't have many options."
