MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia, still reeling from decades of civil war and political instability, is now facing a new deeply troubling crisis: the systemic auctioning of its public lands.
In effect, this is a practice that has become a means of funding urban modernization and development, creating a new class of oligarchs while it displaces vulnerable communities and erodes public trust in government institutions.
As opposition leaders, lawmakers, and citizens raise alarm, the international community must take note: Somalia’s fragile recovery is at risk of being derailed by corruption, inequality, and the unchecked privatization of public assets.
Somalia has some of the largest expanses of uninhabited land in the Horn of Africa. These include public lands that were once military camps, agricultural fields, and areas reserved for community development-a treasure for a country trying to get up after so many years of war.
However, all these lands were being sold to a handful of rich people, often referred to as “oligarchs,” in non-transparent deals without accountability.
The government argues that the proceeds of these sales would go to finance modernization of cities and covering infrastructure projects. Yet, there is scant evidence to support this assertion.
Opposition leaders, including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, accused the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of violating Somalia’s constitution and legal framework by auctioning public property without oversight.
In a joint statement issued in early January, they warned that the uncontrolled sale of public lands risks entrenching corruption, exacerbating inequality, and undermining the rule of law.
Forced Evictions and Displacement
The human cost of these land sales is already becoming apparent. In many cases, these public lands have been home to civilians for years and sometimes generations. Now they are being forcibly evicted without compensation or alternative housing. The evictions are carried out with little warning and no due process.
These acts are a serious breach of public confidence for a country that is just struggling to regain its footing from war and abject poverty.
Displacement of vulnerable communities is not only a humanitarian issue but also a source of social unrest. As more and more people get displaced and their livelihoods affected, so does the threat of protests, violence, and further instability rise.
But even more disturbingly so in a country where the government’s legitimacy has already been weakened, and a region where an extremist group, Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab, is still out to wreak its terror.
A Financial Crisis in the Making
Equally damaging, the land sales have highlighted severe flaws in Somalia’s financial sector. There are reports that several Somali banks face collapse after being lent depositors’ money to buy public lands which the government is selling off.
This reckless act, termed “unlawful” by more than 100 federal lawmakers, jeopardizes not just the savings of ordinary citizens but also testifies to the lack of supervision and control within the country’s banking system. If these banks fail, it would be catastrophic.
The results of a breakdown in financial institutions would be to further destabilize the economy of Somalia, which already remains nascent after years of conflict.
This will also further entrench public distrust in the government and the financial sector, thereby making the attraction of much-needed investment for long-term recovery and development even more difficult.
A Controversial Election Funding Plan
Accusations that the government intends to use money generated by the land sales to finance a controversial one-person, one-vote election add to the controversy.
The political consensus on this issue has not been achieved yet, and there are many questions about the practicality of this initiative, reportedly leading international donors to refuse support for it.
Critics say such an approach in election financing sets a very dangerous precedent, as large tracts of public land get privatized to serve a political interest. In fact, the approach is detrimental to principles of transparency and accountability and runs a risk of increasing political polarization.
And to think this would be occurring in a country where confidence in the government institutions was already at an all-time low. Perceived funding of elections through selling public lands can’t help but reduce further what little confidence citizens currently have in a democratic process.
Government Denials and Public Distrust
Government officials, however, denied these claims and described them as “unfounded and politically motivated.” These land sales are part of an overall economic strategy, they explained.
Yet, the opacity of the transactions has only increased public skepticism. Without transparent mechanisms to ensure that funds are utilized for their intended purpose, the potential for embezzlement and mismanagement will remain high.
While declining to engage all these issues, the government reaction has only allowed the crisis to worsen. Unless the current administration provides a reasonable and credible explanation of its actions, it risks alienating not just its compatriots but also the very international partners whose assistance is essential for Somalia’s recovery.
This means the international community is responsible for this crisis. The donor countries and organizations should push the government of Somalia to freeze the sale of public lands until such time as an appropriate and transparent system is set up.
This means making sure land deals are conducted within the rule of law, adequate compensation to the concerned communities, and money obtained from them used for projects that have value for its people.
Equally significant would be the commitment on the part of international partners to technical and financial support for strengthening the financial sector in Somalia, along with enhancing oversight mechanisms, which would hopefully prevent the type of irresponsible behavior that put Somali banks at risk and jeopardized ordinary citizens’ savings.
A Frightening Crossroads for Somalia
Somalia is at a crossroads. The choices made today will determine the course of the country for the next several decades. In prioritizing short-term gains over long-term stability, the government risks squandering a rare opportunity to rebuild a nation that has endured so much.
Selling off public lands may appear an easy solution, but it is a perilous gamble that could widen inequality, undermine public trust, and pave the way for oligarchic rule anew.
The time to act is now. Somalia’s leaders must put the interests of their citizens above the ambitions of a favored few. The international community must hold them accountable.
This means Somalians need to keep demanding for transparency, justice, and their rightful share in all their country’s resources. Only then can Somalia have any real hope of true stability and prosperity.
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