Somalia: 3 former presidents unite to condemn land misuse and forced evictions

In an unprecedented joint statement, Somalia's three ex-presidents—Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo—have strongly denounced President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government for what they characterize as the unlawful appropriation and sale of public land.

They accuse the administration of orchestrating land transfers without adequate oversight or legal protocols, noting that many of the disposals occurred without recognizing “surplus” status, bypassed the National Contracts Agency, and failed to deposit proceeds into the state treasury. The former leaders warned this misuse of public resources is leading to forced evictions, disrupting vulnerable Lomadishu residents, and undermining public trust. They condemned the evictions in Tarabunka—where clashes erupted between rival security factions—as emblematic of dangerous state overreach.

Their letter also urged businesses and the public to abstain from supporting or purchasing illegally transferred properties, labeling such deals as illegitimate and high-risk. Somalia’s civil society and political analysts have welcomed the intervention, calling it a powerful call for governance accountability.

This is the first time all three surviving former presidents have publicly united in criticism, signaling deep institutional concern over land governance and its implications for Somalia's fragile political stability.