Mogadishu clashes deepen Somalia’s political crisis

Mogadishu, Somalia – The capital city is once again gripped by fear as heavy gunfire erupted between government and opposition forces, disrupting the lives of residents like Mustafa, a 33-year-old bajaj taxi driver. "We haven’t seen fighting this bad in years," he told Al Jazeera, describing the chaos as he tried to navigate the Hawl Wadaag district amid bullets.

The clashes intensified around the residences of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. These opposition figures were preparing to lead protests against incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whom they accuse of illegally extending his term. The government, however, stated that the planned protests would jeopardize security in a city still battling persistent armed violence.

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I couldn’t even think. Everyone was shouting and running for their lives, and we all fled from the bullets. We haven’t seen fighting this bad in years.

Hundreds of families fled their homes, and by the following day, key areas of Mogadishu were deserted. The sudden outbreak of violence ended a period of relative security improvement, undermining the perception that the city was recovering. "The most frustrating thing is that we have nothing to do with it, and it impacts so many of us," Mustafa lamented. "We make our living in this city."

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The most frustrating thing is that we have nothing to do with it, and it impacts so many of us. We make our living in this city.

Major thoroughfares like Maka al-Mukarama Road were sealed off by security forces, and Bakara market, the city's largest commercial hub, was effectively shut down. Street vendor Ahmed noted the unusual midday emptiness, with shops shuttered. The deputy central bank governor, Ali Wardheere, estimated direct economic losses to businesses and services at $3.8 million, though this figure is a projection.

For most Somalis, direct elections for national leadership remain a distant memory, with the last one held in the late 1960s. Since the state's re-establishment in 2012, leaders have been chosen through indirect systems negotiated by clan elders and political elites. This cycle of low trust among political actors often escalates as presidential terms approach their end.

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Look, it’s midday, and there’s almost no one here, shops are closed, and usually by this time the place is jammed.