Somalia: Exploitation of public land is barred, Gov’t assigns national committee

[Deeq A.]

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Friday halted selling, leasing and allocation of public land amid grabbing of public properties is increasing.

Since fall of Somalia’s central government in 1990s, the public premises and government institutions had been occupied by individuals.

President Farmaajo said his government will assign committee to probe the land issue.

” I want to make clear for Somali Public that we will assign a national level committee to investigate land issues in order to make sure that public land is not used for  a private purpose,” said the President in a post on Villa Somalia Twitter account.

“Waxaan u xaqiijinayaa shacabka Soomaaliyeed in guddi heer qaran ah aan u saari doono arrimaha la xiriira dhulka si baaritaan dhab ah loogu sameeyo, loona hubiyo inaan dhul dan guud loo adeegsan dan shakhsiyadeed.”

— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) January 19, 2018

There have been numerous allegations of corruption regarding the selling of public land with claims of fake title deeds finding way into the official system.

“In accordance with article 43 of the provisional constitution of Somalia land is the first resource and basic for the lives of the public,” Farmaajo affirmed.

The president’s decision could also be seen as a move to get the situation right and build an effective system even as he puts his administration in order.

It is not only public land which facing scramble,  lack of legal precedents and multiple ownerships of private land over time make it difficult to resolve land ownership in the city.

Land and property ownership in Mogadishu remains an emotive and complex issue dating back to the collapse of the government in 1991 and even before.

Somalia which is recovering from two decades of civil war is now experiencing construction boom and land value has significantly shot up and investors locally and from abroad are struggling to get a piece leading to rise of speculators and land brokers.

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