If you have been to or live in Xamar, what are some things showing pressing need?

[Voltage]

For me, two pressing immediate needs are;

1. The streets. It is amazing how important the roads are and how dilapidated they are. Even recently "built" roads are showing dilapidation. I mean a single 2 minute rainfall and the entire city comes to a stand still. Even the most important road coming from the Port. One part of the road in front of Baar Ubax/Daalo has been a lake every single time I have passed by it. Forget about Hamarweyne with such spots like Mogadishu Mall and even the regional Municipality---the paved street is absolutely non-existent.

This is absolutely the most visible sign of corruption for me. More than anything else, the inability or the unwillingness to fix these important, nay absolutely vital, public infrastructure that affects every single resident of this city on a daily basis is the most shocking example of bad governance.

The arguments that I have heard are this is a Benadir Regional Government responsibility. In fact, even those who do not argue this point out during Governor Yariisoow's time, immediately after rains the streets would be cleared by morning. But the Federal Government names the Benadir Governor so clearly they have overall oversight.

All in all this is probably the single biggest public issue that I think deserves immediate priority and could also be one of the biggest examples of working efficiency that would immediately be visible to the people of Mogadishu.

2. The second biggest pressing issue deserving immediate attention are the impunity exhibited by security checkpoints. Oftentimes, there are civilian clad "taliyaal" sitting there like they are King---with the security forces (military) engaging in engregious and intolerable, nay even shocking, levels of "shakedowns."

How many times have I been stopped whether in a Bajaj or Car and there is blatent miscarriage of justice designed to elicit bribery. At this point, I don't even know if the government is aware, but there is really a system of STREET TOLLS. A driver can't pass without undue pressure exhibited for the function of exacting a pass toll.

The younger the driver, the worse the immunity. One way this is carried out is the solicitation of LICENSE. Legally only the traffic police is with the powers to ask for a license, but no one is apparently aware of this. The military forces guarding security checkpoints DO NOT have the power to solicit license on the main roads. Yet they do not either follow this rule or are blanket carrying out a miscarriage of justice.

I am told one way the government has responded to this is to move around security staff more frequently, but apparently that doesn't seem to be enough.

You cannot expect to receive or introduce respect for the rule of law when the minute some one gets out of their house to Point B, they pass by 1 or more security checkpoint with gross miscarriage of justice or extrajudicial application of justice. That is a Banana Republic and no matter what achievements are written down on paper, the civilian population will never be introduced to good governance.

Without good governance, there is nothing.

0.

[Murax]

Voltage, thanks for the amazing Warbixin on our city

[barbarossa]

^Murax, is it true, in medieval times, the present day Abgaal Goof, Mogadishu, was used to be called beli Mareexaan?

[Murax]

^Murax, is it true, in medieval times, the present day Abgaal Goof, Mogadishu, was used to be called beli Mareexaan?

[barbarossa]

Nothing pains a confirmed historyphile more than to see his seroius enquries on the subject turned into ridicule.

[AbkoowDhiblaawe]

Good observation voltage i agree laakin lets not be naive. Gov missuses the BRA revenue wey ku baashaalan. Many people including nakruuma , ugaas weli are living on that revenue. Kheire had mahad alle as deputy mayor and head of finamce to embezzle the BRA revenue and later Farmaajo through seynab put ina imaan in that position to controll BRA. Why do u think we want banadir state? We're already sick and tired kf hosting dowladda due to the insecurity then we have to deal embezzlements.

[AbkoowDhiblaawe]

[Nubis]

Informative topic.

[AbdiWahab252]

Xamar's power structure lends itself to corruption. The people are disenfranchised. It all starts with the fact that the Mayor is appointed by the President. The mayor then appoints the District Commissioners who are the heads of the local district government. The residents have no say or ability to vote for or out their current representatives.

The next issue is fiscal. Xamar is the primary domestic funding source for the FG. Its port and airport are the only ones that the FG manages and collects revenue. Kismayo, Barawe, Marka, Bosaaso ports are not controlled by the FG nor are all the central government built airports. BRA is the only mamuul that shares its revenues with the FG. This leads to every President picking sycophants who will do his bidding because BRA is the only mamuul within his grasp of control unlike the other ones.

Fixes include:

1. Direct elections of District Commissioners and Mayors - The residents should have the ability to elect their representatives. If they elect incompetent people it is their fault.

2. Increased funding from the airport and port - The FG needs to wean its reliance only on Mogadishu and bring in the other federal controlled regions into funding the FG.

3. Establishment of an independent AntiCorruption Taskforce - This taskforce should report directly to the Parliament committee and their findings should be made public. Let the chips fall where they may. Additionally, the taskforce members should be well compensated and their finances audited prior to appointment, during and after their terms.


Voltage, after a few weeks you will see how incompetence and corruption are handsomely rewarded while competence and integrity are punished severely. There are no people who truly care for the well being of their qabiil but only care for themselves. Qabiil is simply a tool for them to use to enrich and to increase their power.

Personally, I have seen the excesses and sheer corruption by the FG and FMS that would turn the populace against them. A truck driver told me why he likes AS. How the hell do you pay 5 isbaaros into Xamar while only 1 AS isbaaro that gives you a toll receipt that guarantees you safe travel to Beletweyne or Dhusamareb. You show the receipt at the next AS control and it is honored by that control. Once you hit FG, FMS ones, you pay a fee every dozen or 50 km with no receipts or explanation.