Berbera Mayor Abdishakur Mahmoud Hassan (Ciddin) has officially resigned after serving as the city’s mayor for more than 14 years. His deputy, Nur Cadde, also stepped down from his position on the same day.
The resignations came after the Somaliland government approved a request by members of the Berbera Municipal Council to convene a special session to elect a new mayor and deputy mayor.
Mohamed Ibrahim Dable, who leads the majority bloc in the Berbera council, has emerged as the frontrunner for the mayoral position, while a council member identified as Yacquub is expected to contest the deputy mayor’s post.
Speaking during the resignation ceremony, Ciddin said Berbera had made significant progress during his tenure, noting major improvements in public services, infrastructure, and the city’s overall development.
He added that it is now up to the municipal council to decide who will lead the city next.
Ciddin and his deputy, Nur Cadde, thanked the people of Berbera and members of the municipal council for their support, saying they were proud of the opportunity to serve the community.
Despite overseeing years of development, the outgoing administration also faced criticism over electricity services, with critics accusing it of failing to provide residents with affordable and reliable power.
The Berbera Municipal Council is expected to meet in the coming days to elect the city’s new mayor and deputy mayor.