Somalia’s political landscape was jolted this week after three former presidents issued a rare joint statement accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of illegally seizing public land in Mogadishu and violating the country’s constitutional safeguards.

Presidents, Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo — who collectively led Somalia between 2000 and 2022, alleged that the current administration is engaged in a “systematic abuse of power” by unlawfully transferring government-owned land into private hands, often at the expense of displaced families.

Constitutional Safeguards Ignored

The former leaders accused President Hassan Sheikh’s government of deliberately bypassing Articles. 25, 26 and 43 of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution and Articles 50,51 of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and articles 6 and 22 of law number 41. Under these laws, the sale or transfer of public assets must be publicly justified, overseen by the National Procurement Authority, and all proceeds deposited into the national treasury.

“None of these constitutional and legal safeguards have been followed,” the statement read. “Instead, President Hassan Sheikh’s administration has chosen to flout the law, displace vulnerable families, and enrich a select few.”

The ex-presidents also expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones in violent clashes during forced evictions, where armed security forces have reportedly used live fire to suppress protests.

Forced Evictions Spark Public Anger

In recent months, Mogadishu has witnessed a surge in demolitions and mass evictions. Rights groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of families and small businesses have been driven from their homes on public lands. Residents report that some eviction operations were carried out under the cover of gunfire, leaving communities traumatized.

Private lands disputes remain especially combustible in Somalia. With property registries destroyed during decades of conflict, elites and politically connected businessmen have often claimed prime real-estate with little accountability. Mogadishu’s rapid urbanization has only intensified competition, turning land ownership into one of the country’s most volatile political and social flashpoints.

With public trust in state institutions deeply eroded, many private land disputes bypass government courts — widely perceived as corrupt — and instead end up in Al-Shabaab-run shadow courts, where the militant group exploits grievances to expand its influence.

A Long History of Land Politics

Land ownership has been one of Somalia’s most contested issues since the collapse of the central government in 1991, when militias and clans carved up public and private properties. Successive transitional governments struggled to reverse the trend.

• Abdiqasim Salad Hassan (2000–2004) led Somalia’s first Transitional National Government at a time when Mogadishu remained under the grip of warlords.
• Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (2009–2012), backed by African Union forces, attempted to reassert state authority, though weak institutions and insecurity prevented real oversight of land disputes.
• Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo (2017–2022) built and professionalized the national army, never manipulated the PFCS nor election commission and never sold or grabbed even an inch of public land.

President Hassan Sheikh himself faced similar allegations during his first term (2012–2017), when opposition groups accused his administration of irregular land transfers. The renewed controversy has reignited those concerns, captured in a Somali proverb: “Qabyo ninkeeda ayaa dhamaystira” — “Only the owner of an unfinished work can complete it.”

Warning to Business Community

The former presidents also directed a warning at Somalia’s business elite, many of whom are accused of buying illegal public plots. “Entrepreneurs must not be complicit in the plunder of public assets,” they said, warning that any such transactions could be overturned by future administrations.

The following list identifies 40 key public properties illegally sold or transferred to private Business elite, undermining the rule of law, public interest, and Somalia’s sovereignty.