MOGADISHU, May 1, 2025 — Former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Wednesday condemned a violent clash in parliament, accusing government and security forces of attacking lawmakers and journalists.
The altercation erupted during a session of the House of the People over the controversial removal of MP Abdullahi Hashi Abiib in March. Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, known as Aden Madoobe, expelled Abiib for missing two consecutive sessions without an excuse, a move opposition lawmakers have called politically motivated and illegal.
Sheikh Sharif, a prominent opposition figure, said the violence violated parliamentary immunity and press freedom while damaging the dignity of state institutions.
“These acts of intimidation and violence directly violate the immunity of lawmakers, the freedom of the press, and the reputation and dignity of the state,” he said in a statement.
He also accused Speaker Aden Madoobe of repeated political harassment and procedural violations, pointing to a pattern of behaviour that led to the speaker’s removal from office in 2011.
“The insulting remarks made by the Speaker reveal the alarming gap between the responsibilities of his office and his conduct,” Sheikh Sharif added.
The Parliamentary police intervened to restore order, but the incident has sparked alarm among journalists and civil society leaders over rising political tensions in Somalia.
