Mogadishu, Somalia – Former Somali President and opposition leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has issued a stark warning that the country’s fragile statehood is “on the brink of collapse” due to what he called rampant and unlawful land seizures by politically connected elites.
Speaking in Mogadishu on Monday during a meeting with residents recently displaced from their homes, Sharif accused influential businessmen and well-placed officials of orchestrating widespread land grabs across the capital and beyond. He described the practice as “a dangerous betrayal of the public trust” that undermines the stability of the state and further weakens citizens’ confidence in government institutions.
“The state cannot survive if public lands are stolen by tycoons and fat cats with political cover. This lawlessness not only robs ordinary Somalis of their rights but risks dragging Somalia back into chaos,” ex-President Sharif declared.
The former President, who leads the Forum for National Parties (FNP), directly pressed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to intervene and halt the evictions, saying the government bears the responsibility of protecting citizens from dispossession.
Residents displaced from several Mogadishu neighborhoods told Sharif they were forced out of their homes without legal recourse, leaving families homeless and vulnerable. Some accused security forces of backing private developers in exchange for political or financial favors.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, neither Villa Somalia nor the federal government has issued a statement in response to Sharif’s claims. The silence has fueled public speculation about complicity or reluctance to confront powerful figures implicated in the land disputes.
Land ownership has long been one of Somalia’s most contentious issues, often sparking violent clashes between communities, private developers, and armed groups. Analysts warn that unchecked land seizures could inflame social grievances, erode trust in the state, and create fertile ground for extremist exploitation.
Sharif’s intervention highlights growing tensions between the government and opposition leaders at a time when Somalia is grappling with security threats, economic pressures, and the transition from ATMIS to the new African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
For many ordinary Somalis, the land question is more than a political talking point—it is a fight for survival.
