Banadir Administration Suspends Land Demolitions, Forms Committee to Review Disputes

Friday May 8, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — In a swift response to mounting anger over demolitions and evictions in the capital, the Banadir Regional Administration has ordered a temporary halt to land reform activities in Mogadishu.

Banadir administration spokesperson Salah Dheere announced the decision on Thursday during a press briefing, citing directives issued by Mogadishu Mayor and Banadir Governor Hassan Mohamed Hussein “Muungaab.”

According to the administration, the move follows instructions from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and comes amid rising public frustration over land allocation and redevelopment projects in the city.

The administration said all land clearance work, demolition operations and road-opening activities in Mogadishu are now suspended on a temporary basis. Banadir regional police were told to enforce the order without delay.

Officials also revealed the creation of a fact-finding committee tasked with reviewing complaints tied to land disputes and forced evictions. The panel brings together land experts, lawyers, religious scholars and civil society representatives.

“The committee will directly interview complainants and prepare a comprehensive report to be submitted to the Mayor of Mogadishu so that official administrative decisions can be made,” Salah Dheere said.

Dr. Hassan Mohamed Omar is chairing the committee, which also includes legal specialists, engineers, religious leaders and members of civil society.

The Banadir administration said it is working alongside Somalia’s Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing to speed up plans for land allocation, housing construction and resettlement support for displaced residents and others affected by redevelopment efforts.

Officials said the administration remains committed to responding to public complaints while pressing ahead with reconstruction and urban development in Mogadishu, a city they described as being in a “significant recovery phase.”

The announcement comes against a backdrop of intensifying controversy over demolitions, forced evictions and public land reclamation projects in Mogadishu over the past two years. Opposition figures and civil society organizations have accused authorities of sidestepping legal procedures and failing to offer sufficient compensation to families affected by the projects.

Federal and Banadir officials have argued that the initiatives are necessary for urban planning and the recovery of public land, but disputes over ownership and the legality of evictions have deepened political tensions in the capital.

The dispute has also emerged as a flashpoint in the broader political standoff between the federal government and opposition groups. Opposition leaders have called for a major demonstration in Mogadishu on May 10 to protest the displacement of residents and press for the return of affected families to their homes. Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed recently said the suffering of displaced residents “cannot be ignored.”