A senior Somali Islamic scholar has accused Somali authorities led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of destroying citizens’ property in Mogadishu and forcing families from land occupied for generations.
Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salad, chairman of the Somali Ulema Council, delivered the criticism during his Friday sermon at the Jazeera Hotel mosque. He said the situation could no longer be met with silence.
Sheikh Bashir claimed that residents were being dispossessed of land and, in some cases, told to pay to reclaim plots they regarded as their own.
He framed the issue as one of justice, warning that societies risk collapse when people grow accustomed to wrongdoing without challenge.
The sermon comes amid rising tension over land in Somalia, particularly in the capital. Years of conflict, displacement and competing ownership claims have left a complex property market.
It follows remarks by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during a recent visit to Galmudug, where he described land in the area as strategic and valuable.
Those comments drew attention against a backdrop of longstanding accusations about the government’s approach to land and displacement.
Opposition politicians have accused the president of playing an active role in land politics. Some have labelled him a “land auctioneer” and alleged that his administration has displaced residents. The claims remain politically contested and unproven.
Sheikh Bashir’s intervention shifted the focus from political opponents to the pulpit. He argued that the destruction of property and removal of people from their land had crossed a line that could not be ignored.
He cited a saying attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib about societies in which truth is blocked until it is bought and falsehood expands until it becomes accepted.
The allegations raise specific questions. What land has been demolished or acquired? Who held title before any intervention? Which authority authorised demolitions?
What process established ownership? Were residents given notice or compensation? Who obtained control of the land afterwards?
These questions carry particular weight in Mogadishu, where ownership is often hard to establish and displacement has repeatedly intersected with disputes over valuable urban plots.
For families who lose homes, the issue centres on whether ownership can be protected.
Documentation offers a direct means of clarification. Ownership records would show whether disputed land belongs to the state.
Legal orders would establish the basis for any demolitions. Compensation or alternative arrangements would appear in official files.
