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Mogadishu, Somalia – Mustafa, 33, dreads election time in Somalia. He drives a bajaj — a three-wheeled taxi — and says that when tensions rise, as they always do when polls are near, the whole city feels it, and drivers like him are among the first.On Wednesday, he was passing through the Hawl Wadaag district when heavy gunfire between government and opposition forces erupted all around him.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Gunfire erupts in Mogadishu before protests against Somali president’s rulelist 2 of 2Fighting in Somalia’s capital as anger over election delay eruptsend of list“I couldn’t even think. Everyone was shouting and running for their lives, and we all fled from the bullets,” he told Al Jazeera. “We haven’t seen fighting this bad in years.”The shooting that began that afternoon around the homes of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and, later, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, came as opposition figures were planning to organise protests against what they describe as an illegal term extension by incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.Khaire and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed were among opposition leaders spreadheading the planned protests amid rising tensions with the federal government.The government said the planned protests would undermine security in a city still grappling with persistent armed violence.Hundreds of families fled neighbourhoods near the fighting, and by the next day, many of the capital’s central areas had emptied. The sudden eruption of violence ended a period of improving security in Mogadishu, shattering the perception that the city had begun turning a corner.“The most frustrating thing is that we have nothing to do with it, and it impacts so many of us,” Mustafa said. “We make our living in this city”.Security forces sealed Maka al-Mukarama Road, one of Mogadishu’s main arteries, while Bakara market, the largest commercial hub in the city, was effectively closed for business.Maka al-Mukarama Road, Mogadishu’s main thoroughfare, is usually a bustling commercial hub, but recently, it has been largely empty, with the exception of military vehicles [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]“Look, it’s midday, and there’s almost no one here, shops are closed, and usually by this time the place is jammed,” Ahmed, a street vendor at Bakara market, told Al Jazeera, gesturing at shuttered stalls.Ali Wardheere, the deputy central bank governor, estimated the direct cost to businesses and services at $3.8m, though he stressed the figure was a model-based projection, not an official or final tally.Like most Somalis, Mustafa has never voted for a president or a member of parliament. The country has not held a direct election for national leadership since the late 1960s.Since the state was re-established in 2012 after its 1991 collapse, leaders have been selected through an indirect system negotiated by clan elders and political elites.As presidential terms near their end, low trust among political actors often leads to intense competition over power — and at times violence — as disputes over the electoral timetable come to a head.At a press conference in late May, Sharif warned that the political deadlock could turn violent if negotiations failed.“Where do things stand? [We say] Leave, and [you say] I won’t leave. What comes next? Bullets.”The warning echoed events in 2021, when then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo remained in office more than a year beyond the end of his term, triggering clashes in Mogadishu before a political agreement was reached.Higher stakes this electionThis time, the political standoff carries higher stakes.President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says that constitutional amendments approved by parliament extended his mandate by an additional year from May 15. The opposition rejects that and has begun referring to him as a “former president”.Two of Somalia’s most influential federal states also reject the amendments, leaving the country divided over the constitutional framework go

9 minutes agoAbdishukri Haybe,BBC SomaliandBasillioh RukangaAFP via Getty ImagesFighting continued overnight after breaking out on Wednesday eveningGovernment forces and opposition fighters have exchanged heavy gunfire in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, as a row over delays to elections has escalated.President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term in office ended on 15 May but was extended by a year. The opposition said this was unconstitutional and called for protests on Thursday.Gunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods of the capital and persisted throughout the night, according to accounts by residents.Police said they were conducting a "large-scale security operation" against "heavily armed militias who launched mortar attacks" in some areas.Somalia last held a one-person, one-vote election in 1969 and has been ravaged by civil war for more than 30 years. Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said he had been attacked by government forces while he and other leaders were preparing for Thursday's "peaceful" demonstrations."The responsibility for any casualties or damage resulting from this incident lies with the president whose term has expired," he said on X."This attack is a grave assault on the constitutional rights of Somali citizens and a deliberate attempt to suppress peaceful assembly," he added.The number of casualties is not yet known and the president has not commented.In statement on X, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, an ally of Khaire, said the opposition would not be intimidated."If the President and his soldiers think that we are afraid or that we will flee, we are not going to run away," he said.The protests have not taken place amid the fighting. The capital is now largely calm, although sporadic gunfire can still be heard in some districts.Somalia's Civil Aviation Authority denied reports that the violence had disrupted flights, assuring passengers that operations at the city's airport remained normal."All scheduled flights today at Aden Adde Airport are operating as planned, with no cancellations," the authority said in a statement.ReutersGunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods of the capitalThe US embassy in Mogadishu has described the violence as "reckless", adding that leaders on all sides "have a responsibility to preserve stability and resolve differences through peaceful means".Regional bloc Igad condemned all acts of violence and urged parties to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue to resolve their differences, while the European Union Delegation in Somalia urged leaders to prioritise national interests and find a "consensus on an election roadmap in the interest of the Somali people".Mohamud was elected by parliament in 2022, defeating then President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname Farmajo. He had served a previous term as president in 2012-2017, which was dominated by the struggle against al-Shabab jihadists, who still control many parts of the country.Following the expiry of the president's term, the federal government and the opposition started talks but did not reach an agreement.Mohamud has been attempting to move Somalia towards democratic elections, replacing a system in which clan elders choose MPs, who in turn select a president.The opposition disagrees on how direct elections should be conducted and rejects the constitutional amendment in March extending the presidency by a year.They also argue that new laws on political parties and the appointment of electoral commissioners were not inclusive and would therefore undermine fair elections.Additional reporting by Ibrahim Adan in MogadishuMore about Somalia from the BBC:Getty Images/BBCBBC Africa podcasts