Wednesday October 14, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali lawmaker Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odowaa, a former senior ally of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, called Monday for the withdrawal of security forces deployed near former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s residence in Mogadishu.
Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu, Odowaa accused the government of repeatedly seeking to move against Sharif’s residence in recent days and urged political leaders to consider the long-term consequences of using security forces against opponents.
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“All the previous pretexts were that the opposition was organizing protests, was armed and was destabilizing the city,” Odowaa said. “We are aware that, over the past five to ten nights, the government has been repeatedly wanting to target President Sharif’s residence.”
“The way you treat the president is how you can expect to be treated yourself in the future; leaders ought to respect one another and consider the long term,” he added. “I call for the removal of the troops deployed near the home of Sharif.”
Odowaa served as secretary-general of the president’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) and previously held senior government posts, including interior minister, before resigning from the ruling party in March and later appearing at opposition meetings.
His comments follow several days of rising tensions between Sharif and Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).
NISA has accused armed men operating under Sharif’s direction of attacking and obstructing security personnel in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district. The agency also alleged that armed men carrying AK-47 rifles, BKM machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades entered homes in the Tiintiinley neighborhood and attempted to provoke a confrontation with security forces.
Sharif has rejected the accusations and accused government forces of targeting his staff and restricting movement around his residence. His office has also alleged that some staff members were abducted and that roadblocks interfered with access to food and water.
Neither side’s allegations have been independently verified.
The dispute comes amid a wider political standoff between Mohamud’s government and opposition leaders over constitutional changes, the electoral system and the timetable for Somalia’s next national elections.
Odowaa has increasingly aligned himself with opposition figures since leaving the ruling party, criticizing the government’s handling of federalism and elections. His appearance at Monday’s news conference marks another public break with a president whose political camp he once helped lead.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire also warned over the weekend against military movements around the homes of former national leaders, saying such deployments risked worsening political tensions and threatening security in the capital.