Somalia One Step Away from the Brink of the Abyss

As Somalia grapples with multiple security challenges, an official from the World Food Programme said that “six million people — nearly one in every three Somalis — are facing acute hunger, while two million of them stand just one step away from famine, living in the emergency phase, the fourth stage of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.”

Matthew Hollingworth, Assistant Executive Director of the programme, stated on May 8, 2025, that “nearly 1.9 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, with hundreds of thousands at risk of developing the deadliest forms of malnutrition.” He warned that “this is not a distant threat, but a crisis unfolding now and deepening at an alarming pace.”

He noted that during his week-long visit to Somalia, he witnessed “families already confronting the cumulative effects of repeated and severe climate shocks, conflict, and economic pressures — all of which are driving hunger to dangerous levels.”

He also spoke of “Somalia’s repeated failures of rainy seasons, which have devastated crops, killed livestock, and eroded livelihoods, while severely affecting the lives of millions.

”He added that “the repercussions of the crisis in the Middle East have caused food prices to rise by 70% in some areas, while fuel prices have surged by as much as 150%. Supply routes have also been disrupted, making the delivery of aid within the country more difficult and costly.”

Complex Crises

Alongside the United Nations warning of famine and deteriorating living conditions, Somalis are facing other crises of even greater complexity, notably forced evictions from homes, particularly in the capital, Mogadishu, sparking public anger.

At the end of last April, civilians were killed following armed clashes in the Hamar Jajab District district of the Somali capital as tensions erupted during a state-led legal eviction operation, according to official sources and eyewitnesses cited by the Shabelle Media Network.The network reported that the clashes took place in the Wa Yabi neighbourhood, while local residents told journalists that the incident resulted in the deaths of three civilians from the same family and their neighbours — an elderly man, a woman, and her daughter — after they became trapped amid crossfire at the site of the confrontation, triggering a wave of grief across the area.

Violation of the Constitution

Amid mounting public outrage over the forced evictions that displaced tens of thousands of families, Somalia’s former presidents — Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo — condemned the decision and accused current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of involvement in violations concerning public lands in Mogadishu.

The former presidents stated that “the ongoing land seizures and forced evictions have resulted in casualties and the displacement of large numbers of families,” describing the actions as “a blatant violation of the provisional constitution and national laws regulating the management of public resources and lands.”

They called on the current president “to immediately halt these violations and work toward resettling the displaced families, in addition to reclaiming lands that were unlawfully disposed of.” They further stressed that “the continuation of these practices exacerbates the suffering of citizens, undermines trust between the people and state institutions, and opens the door wide to corruption and discrimination.”

They urged citizens not to engage in any transactions or exploitation involving lands that belong to the Somali people, arguing that such actions reinforce corruption and undermine the foundations of justice and the constitution. They emphasised that protecting land and resources is a shared national responsibility and that any negligence in this matter carries grave consequences.

The joint statement referred to provisions of the provisional constitution and legal articles governing oversight of public lands, giving it judicial weight that could pave the way for moves within parliament or before the courts. Socially, the statement focused on victims and displaced persons — rhetoric aimed at public opinion and intended to deepen popular discontent.

The statement relied on constitutional and legal provisions defining mechanisms for land management, including the requirement that official authorities supervise sales or allocations, that related decisions be published through official government channels, and that equality among citizens in access to land and its resources be guaranteed. The laws also stipulate that land revenues must go directly to the state treasury, something the former presidents said did not occur in the recent practices carried out outside legal frameworks.

Real Estate Corruption

Reports have also spoken of the Somali federal government’s involvement in real estate corruption, with evictions allegedly being carried out at the behest of investors close to those in power, reviving renewed discussion about the spread of corruption in the African nation.

In this regard, rights organisations said they possess “compelling evidence” implicating the president and senior officials in the sale of vast areas of state-owned land to influential businessmen, describing what is taking place as “the systematic theft of an entire nation.” Critics, including opposition figures and civil society organisations, have accused the authorities of bypassing legal procedures and failing to provide adequate compensation to those affected.

Meanwhile, parliament member Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame launched a fierce attack on President Hassan Sheikh and his prime minister, accusing them of orchestrating the “systematic theft” of Somali public funds and seizing public lands in Mogadishu for personal and political interests.

In a statement published on social media, Abdishakur said: “Hassan Sheikh’s rule has turned into a family business where consciences are bought and the people’s money is exploited as private property, distributed among political allies and family members, while the poor live in suffering and oppression… This is not leadership; it is plunder and looting.”Abdishakur accused the government of legitimising favouritism and burying the principle of accountability, causing it to lose the trust of the people and plunging citizens into frustration and despair. He argued that this approach “fuels public anger” and entrenches power in the hands of a small loyalist group.

Meanwhile, according to Transparency International’s 2022 global corruption report, Somalia recorded the lowest score in anti-corruption commitment, ranking 180th out of 180 countries covered by the report, with 12 points out of 100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index.

Among the most prominent forms of corruption within public institutions are bribery, favouritism, forgery of official documents, and the misuse of public property. Corruption is widespread across vital sectors of the economy, including ports, airports, tax administrations, customs, immigration, telecommunications, and agencies responsible for foreign aid.

According to Transparency International data, Somalia has been ranked the world’s most corrupt country since 2007, according to media reports.

* Bayethe Msimang is an independent writer, analyst and political commentator.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.