Violent anti-government protests break out in Somalia's capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least 4 wounded in a confirmation between the Somali security forces and angry opposition protestors ensued in the streets of Mogadishu, the Somalia capital, with the pre-election standoff being the matter at hand, following disagreements with lead stakeholders.

By early morning, troops drawn from the Somali National Army [SNA] had blocked various roads and streets within the town raising suspicions about the main intentions but there were prior reports that thousands of opposition supporters were to wage a demonstration against the regime of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

The pro-opposition rallies, however, started on Mogadishu Tuesday morning with witnesses saying protesters were carrying placards with words demanding fairs elections take place in the country. One message on one placard read: “stop rigged election resulting displaced people”.

Some of the protesters were heard chanting, “We don’t want anti-election” person in reference to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who the opposition accuses of being a stumbling block to the free, fair, and credible elections in the country, which is struggling with inter-clan conflicts, political feuds, and Al-Shabaab menace.

Pictures taken from the streets showed a large number of demonstrators carrying photos of Farmaajo and banners reading "we don't want a rigged election that causes displacement". The rally started as Somalia faces the worst election crisis in history.

The lockdown by security forces, witnesses said, caused anger among members of the public, who accused the administration of Farmajo of "muzzling our rights to picket". The troops are said to have been deployed to prevent the residents from "staging rebellion against the government".

Despite road closure and army presence in the streets, however, hundreds of people staged a protest against the administration and are still moving down the streets over the pre-election standoff. Villa Somalia is yet to issue a statement over the latest development.

Somalia was set to hold elections from December but the process has been delayed after the opposition team raised issues on the composition of the electoral committee. They accuse President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo of appointing NISA agents, civil servants, and his loyalists.

But despite the ongoing wrangles, the state has insisted on holding the elections as planned. PM Roble has been moving across the country to persuade critics to allow the process to go on but Puntland and Jubaland are hell-bent to ensure various pre-election pledges are fulfilled.

The protest comes amid claims by the Government of Somalia that Kenya has been interfering with her internal politics. On Tuesday morning, Somalia cut ties with Kenya over the matter, a move which comes in the middle of the trip by Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi to Nairobi.

GAROWE ONLINE