Former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the opposition would not accept that the protests be confined to a specific location designated by the government, insisting that rallies are a constitutional right of the Somali people.
Sheikh Sharif made the remarks at a meeting of opposition politicians, noting that the government had been informed of the protest plan and that there was no reason to limit its location.
“The protest should take place wherever it can, the whole city should come out,” said Sheikh Sharif, calling on the public to participate in the planned rallies.
He also called on the youth not to fear repression or arrest, saying that defending citizens’ freedoms requires resilience and social participation.
The former president accused the government of committing torture and arrests against people who expressed their political views, saying that the issues they were discussing were not just political debates but realities that the Somali people had seen.
Sheikh Sharif said the opposition wanted to continue with the protest plan, describing rallies as a constitutional right that cannot be prevented from the people.