MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Somalia opposition leaders, including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, have strongly condemned the ongoing auction of public lands by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration.
In a joint statement issued today, the three leaders accused the government of breaching constitutional and legal provisions by auctioning public property.
In Mogadishu, enforced evictions persist as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable families are removed from public lands, which are then sold to wealthy businessmen.
Cash proceeds from these transactions are directly received by President Hassan Sheikh and his immediate family, including his two wives and children, as collaborated by various sources.
Among the sites affected by these sales include former military camps, a public cemetery, schools and several abandoned government ministry buildings, leaving displaced residents in dire circumstances.
President Sharif, former Prime Minister Khaire, and MP Abdishakur stated that the evictions of the vulnerable communities were conducted in order for the president Mohamud to sell the land or pay back his political allies.
The leaders stressed that Hassan Sheikh’s administration has disregarded key legal frameworks established to protect public lands, including:
- Articles 26 and 43 of the Constitution, which require the government to develop a national policy for public assets.
- Articles 50 and 51 of the Public Financial Management Act (2019), which govern the management of public property.
- Articles 87, 681, 723, and 730 of the Somali Civil Code (1973), regulating the use and alteration of public property.
- Law No. 41 on Urban Land Distribution (1973), which prohibits the sale of public lands without explicit legal authorization.
The leaders also accused the government of undermining key principles such as equitable access to land resources, proper land ownership registration, and protections against the exploitation of smallholders in the real estate market.
Warning to Buyers
The opposition leaders issued a stern warning to individuals and businesses involved in these illegal land transactions.
They emphasized that such deals are null and void and that participants could face serious legal consequences under both national and international law.
They highlighted four critical points:
- Public land ownership cannot be acquired without adhering to constitutional and legal processes.
- Only lawful procedures can grant ownership of government property.
- Anyone involved in illegal transactions is complicit in national plunder and will be subject to legal action.
- Accountability measures will apply to all parties implicated in the illegal sale, purchase, or transfer of public lands.
The leaders concluded by urging the public to resist efforts to privatize public assets unlawfully and called for the strict enforcement of legal protections for public property.