A group of young men who make a living riding “Fekon” motorcycles staged a protest on Wednesday at the busy KM4 intersection in Mogadishu, bringing traffic to a standstill as they decried alleged mistreatment by security forces.
The protesters blocked the KM4 junction, demanding an end to what they described as arbitrary extortion and physical abuse by security personnel. According to eyewitnesses, the standoff escalated when police forces attempted to disperse the crowd using live ammunition and force.
One of the demonstrators told local media:
“We can’t work because of the harassment. The police extort large sums of money from us. One of our colleagues was injured today.”
The motorcyclists also claimed they are being denied access to main roads in the city, despite possessing valid documentation issued by the Federal Government of Somalia permitting their operations.
The youth called for immediate government intervention to lift the restrictions imposed on them and to address the alleged abuses committed by the security forces.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the Somali government or security agencies regarding the incident. However, tensions remain high, and there are growing concerns that the situation could deteriorate further if the grievances are not addressed promptly.
The protest highlights the growing frustration among Somalia’s unemployed youth, many of whom depend on motorcycle transport for daily income. It also underscores the fragile relationship between civilians and law enforcement in a city still recovering from years of instability.
