By: Omar Hassan, Horndiplomat Correspondent in Mogadishu
MOGADISHU – Somalia’s state Minister of Defence, Omar Ali Abdi, sparked controversy on Monday after stating that only the Somalia government forces and the militant group al-Shabaab are authorised to possess heavy weapons, dismissing the right of opposition politicians to arm themselves.
“The weapons are allowed for two groups: the government, which protects its people, and al-Shabaab, which wants to kill them. Anyone else who seeks to obtain weapons will be confronted by the security forces,” the minister said during a televised briefing.
His remarks were widely criticised by Somalis on social media, who questioned why a senior government official would imply that al-Shabaab — designated a terrorist organisation by the UN and International community has a legitimate right to hold heavy arms while opposition candidates and lawmakers do not.
Abdi insisted that armed groups outside the state “pose a threat to national security,” but he did not clarify why he referenced al-Shabaab as a group exempt from the restrictions despite its long record of attacks across Somalia.
Political analysts say the comments highlight growing tension between the government and opposition figures ahead of upcoming political developments, with critics accusing officials of using security arguments to limit political competition.
The Somalia Ministry of Defence has not issued any additional clarification following the public backlash.
