The Somali presidency is facing intense backlash following reports that government officials attempted to coerce former President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan into disowning a joint statement he and two other ex-presidents signed condemning illegal land seizures in Mogadishu.
The statement, jointly issued on Monday by Presidents Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, criticized the forced eviction of residents and accused the government of violating constitutional protections.
Sources close to the matter say President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration was caught off guard by the statement, prompting a concerted campaign to pressure Abdiqasim to withdraw his support.
According to multiple insiders, senior intelligence officials, including NISA chiefs Mahad Salad and Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Balcad, were tasked with reaching out to Abdiqasim’s family to secure a retraction.
In addition, Somalia’s ambassador to Egypt, Ali Abdi Aware, was reportedly drawn into the effort, underscoring the lengths to which the administration went in trying to reverse the former president’s stance.
Despite mounting pressure, Abdiqasim is said to have firmly rejected all attempts at persuasion. A source close to the family quoted him as saying: “Think about the people and the country,” in response to the demands.
With private efforts failing, Villa Somalia appeared to shift its strategy to damage control through the media. The Director of Social Affairs at the Presidency, Abdirahman Hudayfi, made public statements suggesting that Abdiqasim’s name had been used without his knowledge and that the entire episode was based on misinformation.
The attempt to distance the former president backfired, fueling criticism of the government’s handling of land disputes and treatment of political elders.
The joint statement united three of Somalia’s former heads of state in a rare moment of solidarity, condemning what they described as widespread land grabbing in Mogadishu and the violent displacement of civilians. The former presidents urged President Mohamud to halt evictions and honor constitutional guarantees on property rights and housing.
Land seizures are causing major problems in Mogadishu. The government’s redevelopment plans have led to many homes, businesses, and even cemeteries being torn down, often without going through proper legal steps. Critics say the poor are the hardest hit, while rich and powerful investors are taking advantage.
Since President Mohamud’s return in 2022, complaints about forced evictions have surged, with public cemeteries, markets, and private properties among the targets.
Activists and locals accuse government officials and investors connected to the President’s circle of orchestrating the evictions and land grabs.