Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Sunday evening chaired a special meeting involving members of the Somali Federal Parliament’s lower and upper houses from the Hawiye clan. The meeting focused on the pressing issues currently facing the country, particularly the challenges affecting residents and traders in the capital, Mogadishu.

According to sources, the discussions centered on the dual pressures faced by the people of Mogadishu: government-imposed taxation and the escalating threats from Al-Shabaab.

The militant group has recently intensified its campaign against businesses, including burning down two major markets, Safa and Marwa, in Ceelasha-biya after traders complied with a government order to install CCTV cameras.

The meeting took place just hours after Al-Shabaab spokesperson, Sheikh Ali Dhere issued a threat to privately owned banks in Mogadishu, urging citizens to withdraw their assets. This alarming development has heightened concerns among the business community, already reeling from the recent market attacks.

It remains unclear what impact the meeting of Hawiye clan members within the two houses of parliament will have on the deteriorating security and economic situation in Mogadishu. However, the gathering underscored the growing urgency to address the escalating threats to lives and businesses in the capital.