Mogadishu (WDN) – As June 4 approaches, attention is increasingly focused on whether the planned demonstrations by opposition groups would proceed peacefully or whether the standoff between the government and opposition forces will push the country into an even deeper political crisis.

Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed delivered a blistering criticism of the federal government during a joint opposition press conference, drawing a sharp distinction between his own presidency and the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud while condemning what he described as increasing political repression.

Sharif appeared visibly frustrated by attempts to equate his administration with the current government, insisting that the two were fundamentally different.

“I did not displace people from their homes, and when my constitutional term ended, I did not remain in office,” Sharif declared, in what was widely interpreted as a direct attack on Hassan Sheikh’s continued hold on power amid the ongoing political dispute over his mandate.

The former president also raised the case of Sadia Bajaj, arguing that her detention was politically motivated. “Her only offense was speaking publicly about the lifestyle enjoyed by the president’s daughter and demanding the same opportunities for ordinary Somali citizens,” Sharif said.

He further warned that Somalia’s political crisis was entering a dangerous phase, claiming that the current administration had exhausted most political options and was increasingly relying on coercive tactics.

“The only thing left for Hassan Sheikh is to spill blood,” Sharif stated, adding that such a scenario was becoming increasingly plausible.

At the same press conference, Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame reaffirmed that the opposition coalition, known as the Future Council, would proceed with nationwide demonstrations scheduled for June 4 despite mounting pressure from authorities.

“The demonstrations remain on schedule. They are a legal right and a constitutional right. There is no one we fear. President Hassan Sheikh should understand two realities: he fears public demonstrations, and his constitutional term has expired,” Abdirahman declared.

He described Somalia as a country facing deep political fragmentation, noting that several federal member states were either embroiled in conflict or locked in political disputes with Mogadishu.

“One crisis after another is unfolding. Yesterday it was South West State. Today it is Galmudug. The political instability is spreading rather than being resolved,” he warned.

Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also addressed the gathering, calling on young political activists who have recently been detained by security forces to identify the officials responsible for their arrests.

“We call on the young people who have been imprisoned to provide us with the names of the officers behind these arrests—officers acting on behalf of a president whose term has already ended,” Khayre said.

The former prime minister praised Somali youth activists, particularly those who had recently been released from detention, describing them as the driving force behind the growing civic movement challenging the government.

According to Khayre, many of the young activists targeted by authorities were instrumental in organizing the opposition gathering itself, demonstrating what he called “a new generation’s determination to defend constitutional rights and political freedoms.”

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