Mogadishu (SD) – The Union of Presidential Candidates held an emergency press conference in Mogadishu today, announcing a forced delay in tomorrow’s demonstration.

Former Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sheikh Sharif, along with members of the Union of Candidates, officially announcing that they have postponed a rally scheduled for tomorrow at the Statue of the Unknown Soldier.

“While we were organizing for the protests, but troops were deployed to all the protest sites. “This is contrary to previous promises and agreements, and it reflects the candidates’ debate on the issue of security,” Sheikh Sharif said. adding “The Candidates’ Forum has decided to postpone the protests and will work on a later day for them.”

The chairman of the Union of Opposition Candidates also lamented the government’s use of force to suppress the people, at a time when parts of the country is still under al-Shabaab’s control.

Former president Hassan Sheikh speaking at the press conference also announced that the Union of Candidates has begun mobilizing troops and will work with anyone that are willing to help in maintaining security, independent of the government, which he said has broken its promise.

The Union of Opposition Candidate’s press conference comes at a time when the government has deployed troops to the Statue of the Unknown Soldier and the surrounding area, where a planned protest against the outgoing president was expected to take place.

The latest developments has once again raised concerns about the country situation, with talks between the caretaker government and the candidates set to address the crisis in the country.