Mogadishu mayor threatens to 'seize and kill relentlessly' opposition politicians

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Mogadishu mayor threatens to 'seize and kill relentlessly' opposition politicians

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Following a weeklong political conference by key Somali opposition figures, that ended with a strong communique demanding the resignation of National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) chief and dissolution of the dispu

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Mayor of Mogadishu, Omar Mohamed Mohamud (Filish) speaks during a Hawiye clan meeting organized by the government in Mogadishu on Thursday 26 Nov, 2020. (PHOTO/SCREENGRAB).

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Following a weeklong political conference by key Somali opposition figures, that ended with a strong communique demanding the resignation of National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) chief and dissolution of the disputed electoral committee, the Mayor of Mogadishu Omar Mohamud Mohamed sent a fierce warning to the opposition presidential candidates and even threatened to 'seize and kill relentlessly'.

Mr. Mohamud (also known as Omar Filish) who doubles as the Governor of Banadir region addressed members of the Hawiye clan during a government-backed meeting in Mogadishu late Thursday.

Narrating a verse in the Quran, Mr. Filish described the opposition politicians as 'hypocrites who have sickness in their hearts, and called them to desist mongering rumours in the town or face death'

He went ahead to condemn the call for violence by the critics of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo whom he said were mainly from Hawiye without naming anyone.

"Today they are saying 'we are Hawiye and we will take up the arms'. Is that right? Isn't Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble a Hawiye man?. Also I am the governor of this region whose responsibility of security falls under him. Am I not Hawiye? Where am I from?" Mr. Filish asked the audience.

"Dare them to disturb the stability?. They certainly known themselves that they don't dare do anything but they are sending a signal to those who have sent them," Mr. Filish claimed.

'SEIZE AND KILL RELENTLESSLY WHEREVER THEY ARE FOUND'

Through a heated tone, the powerful Mogadishu Mayor warned that should the opposition candidates not cease mongering rumours against the government, the only way to deal with them is to seize and kill them relentlessly.

"If they try to disturb the stability, Allah has ordered us how to deal with them and this is what Allah said in Surat al Ahzab: If the hypocrites, and those with sickness in their hearts, and rumour-mongers in Medina [town] do not desist, We will certainly incite you against them, and then they will not be your neighbours there any longer," Mr Filish read "They deserve to be condemned. If they were to persist, they would get themselves seized and killed relentlessly wherever they are found!"

The Mogadishu Mayor's call for violence against the opposition came after 14 presidential candidates demanded the resignation of the country’s Intelligence Head Fahad Yasin accusing him of leading the re-election campaign of outgoing president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’.

The presidential candidates, among them former presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, reiterated their earlier accusations against the Spy Chief of manipulating state security organs and resources to ensure the re-election of Farmaajo whose tenure of presidency expires in February next year.