MOGADISHU — A prominent Somali academic has warned that growing public frustration with President Hassan Sheikh’s administration is pushing some citizens to join Al-Shabaab or flee the country, accusing the president of “abandoning the rule of law.”
In an interview with Shabelle TV in Mogadishu, Professor Shafi’i Yusuf Omar, head of research at the Brilliance Center for Security and Good Governance, said the government’s actions are fueling instability and deepening public distrust.
“President Hassan Sheikh has thrown away the law,” said Omar. “People are losing hope — some are turning to Al-Shabaab, and others are escaping the country because of how things are going.”
His comments come amid mounting political tension and a fragile security situation in Somalia, where federal forces are battling an ongoing insurgency by the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group.
“The direction this government is taking is dangerous,” Omar warned. “State institutions are weakening, and unless corrective steps are taken, we risk a complete breakdown.”
There was no immediate response from the presidency to the remarks.
Somalia has long struggled with political instability, corruption, and extremism. The security experts say misgovernance and a lack of public trust in institutions have contributed to recruitment by armed groups, particularly in rural areas.
