Mogadishu — Somali authorities have released prominent clan elder Hussein Xaadoole after holding him in detention for 33 days, following his vocal opposition to government-led evictions of civilians from public land in the capital, Mogadishu.
Xaadoole, a respected figure among traditional elders, was arrested after publicly condemning what he described as the inhumane displacement of residents without due consideration for their rights or humanitarian needs.
His release was met with a warm reception at Mogadishu’s Jazeera Hotel, where members of the Somali Salvation Council Leadership Group organized a welcoming ceremony in his honor.
Speaking shortly after his release, Xaadoole vowed to continue defending the rights of ordinary citizens and opposing what he called unjust state actions.
“The 33 days I spent in detention felt like 33 minutes to me — such actions will never intimidate me,” Xaadoole said during a press briefing.
He further called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to ensure a consensual national electoral process, warning that failure to do so could risk plunging Somalia back into political turmoil.
“I urge the President to steer the country toward an agreed-upon election process. Otherwise, Somalia could slip back into the kind of collapse we’ve worked so hard to overcome,” he warned.
Xaadoole’s arrest had sparked concern among civil society activists and rights groups, who viewed his detention as part of a broader pattern of suppressing dissent and curbing freedom of expression in the fragile Horn of Africa nation.
His release comes amid growing tensions between the government and traditional power structures, as Somalia continues its struggle to balance state-building with grassroots community engagement.
