In a sudden twist, Daadab lawmaker Farah Maalim vehemently denied allegations that he advocated for the killing of 5000 protestors.

His remarks, which had sparked widespread outrage on social media, accused him of endorsing violence against peaceful demonstrators, resulting in 41 fatalities.

“The video was edited to portray me in a negative light. I did not say what is circulating on social media,” Maalim defended himself, countering the narrative that had quickly spread online.

However, his explanation has done little to quell the storm on social media, where a majority of users demand his immediate arrest.

Many accused him of inciting violence and supporting the suppression of lawful protests.

In a viral video translated from Somali to English, Maalim had stated, “This was an attempted coup, a clear attempted coup. Children of wealthy business owners, wealthy parents, and individuals raised on ill-gotten wealth, 80% from one tribe, were dropped off in downtown and instructed to riot and seize State House and Parliament buildings.”

He continued boldly, asserting what he would have done if he held the presidency: “If I were the president, although God has not made me one, I would have killed 5000 of them on that day. I am serious, this was an attempted coup.”

Maalim referenced historical instances where governments faced invasions, asserting that such actions sometimes required loss of life to assert authority.