Mogadishu, Somalia – Opposition presidential candidates have postponed their planned protest in Mogadishu by one week, three senior political sources confirmed to members of the press on Saturday.
The decision was reportedly reached following urgent mediation by lawmakers and traditional elders, who warned that the planned demonstration risked plunging the capital back into confrontation.
The delay is being viewed as a significant moment of restraint in a highly charged political environment. Tensions between opposition figures and government forces have escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of renewed street battles similar to past confrontations that left casualties among both civilians and security personnel.
While opposition leaders have not withdrawn their demands — which include calls for electoral transparency, greater political freedoms, and guarantees of assembly rights — insiders say they agreed to reschedule the protest to give dialogue a chance.
Government officials have not yet issued a formal statement, but sources close to the administration suggested that security agencies had already begun reinforcing key areas of the capital in anticipation of unrest.
Negotiators hope the postponement will provide space for political compromise, potentially avoiding another violent standoff.
Whether the extra week results in meaningful engagement or merely delays inevitable confrontation remains to be seen.