Mogadishu (UM) – The residence of the Capital Mogadishu are blessed and cursed at the same city. Mogadishu is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with long beaches, great people and vibrant atmosphere. Mogadishu is home to the largest population in the country and is the political and economic heart of the nation.
Mogadishu belongs to every Somali and it is here the majority of the Somali people have decided to call home. Therefore, it is important that it is well led and the local government creates conditions for the people to thrive. Yet, the people of Mogadishu are far from thriving. They are simply trying to survive in a badly governed and insecure city. Mogadishu’s governance is confused and a history of poor leadership has crippled it with mass unemployment, insecurity and terrible public services. Mogadishu by most international measures is one of the worst places to live.
On the issue of security, a confusion of assignment and failed authority and leadership has made Mogadishu the capital of constant explosions, assassinations and road blocks. The People of Mogadishu are fed up with the security situation which punishes them for the failure of the national and local government to protect them with road blocks. The most recent attack in Hamar Weyne district where at least 10 people died and private property were destroyed, was so close to the Mayor’s office in Mogadishu that his windows shook according to sources. How much confidence can the people have in a local government that cannot secure its residents and their property?
The Mayor has recently become obsessed with supporting Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in his city. However, with expensive house prices, unaffordable rents, high cost of food, electricity and fuel, means Mogadishu is becoming impossible to live in for most residents who are not well paid as government consultants.
The local government offers no public services including, education and health which are important for the residence. Security is poor. Almost everything is privately owned and the people pay a high price to survive. This is not sustainable in the long run.
Yet, the taxes of the Banadir region are what keeps Somalia together and pays civil servants’ salaries and the running cost of all government agencies. What is shocking is, despite collecting a lot of money from the residents, the local government has never declared its income publicly. The residents of Mogadishu deserve to be respected and for their mayor to take transparency and accountability seriously. It is their money he is using to fail them.
The Mayor of Mogadishu Abdirahman Omar Osman, Eng. Yarisow, must clean his very dirty and corrupted house if he wants the residents of Mogadishu to take him seriously. Mogadishu residents are the real stakeholders that matter and he should prioritize listening to them and serving them better.
Mr. Mayor Mogadishu deserves to be a better place to live in for it’s people. You have a long way to go to achieve this. It is important you and your inexperienced team start to learn quickly and focus on what matters to the people you all serve.