MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police arrested a well-known female auto rickshaw driver after she joined protests over soaring fuel prices that choked key roads in the capital, lawmakers and colleagues said Thursday.
The driver, identified as Sacdiyo Moalim and widely known as “Sacdiyo Bajaj,” was detained following a demonstration by Bajaj operators who rallied against steep increases in fuel costs and worsening economic conditions in Mogadishu. Authorities have not publicly explained the basis for her detention or said how many others were taken into custody.
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Fuel prices in the city have more than doubled in recent weeks, jumping from about 65 cents per liter to roughly $1.50, according to transport operators and traders. The spike has hit Bajaj drivers especially hard, squeezing daily earnings needed for fuel, vehicle rental fees and household expenses.
What to know:
- Sacdiyo, a university graduate who turned to driving a Bajaj after struggling to find formal work, was arrested after protests that blocked major arteries in Mogadishu.
- Fuel prices have surged from about $0.65 to $1.50 per liter, operators say, intensifying financial strain on low-margin transport workers.
- An opposition lawmaker condemned the arrest and urged authorities to respect constitutional rights to peaceful assembly.
- Officials have not commented on the reasons for the detention or the total number of protesters arrested.
- Traders cite regional instability and disruptions to global oil supply routes; drivers accuse some suppliers of unfair price hikes.
Colleagues described Sacdiyo as a visible presence on Mogadishu’s streets and an outspoken voice on youth unemployment and economic hardship. Her profile as a female driver in a male-dominated trade has drawn attention online, where she has shared the daily realities of supporting a household on patchwork earnings.
Her arrest prompted swift criticism from opposition lawmaker Abdirahman Abdirashakur Warsame, who called her “an example of courage and civic responsibility.” In a post on social media, he added: “Organizing and participating in peaceful protests is not a crime, but a constitutionally guaranteed right. The government should listen to the concerns of the youth instead of using intimidation and arrest.” He urged security agencies to release her immediately and to uphold citizens’ constitutional rights.
The demonstrations underscored mounting frustration among transport operators as fuel costs climb. Traders have partly attributed the surge to regional instability and interruptions along global oil supply routes. Drivers, however, accuse some local suppliers of taking advantage of uncertainty to inflate pump prices beyond what market conditions warrant.
The detention of a prominent female driver has sharpened debate over freedom of expression and the state’s handling of economic grievances at a time of rising living costs in Mogadishu. Advocacy groups and fellow drivers say peaceful demonstrations are a last resort for workers with little savings or bargaining power, and they warn that arrests risk deterring lawful protest while doing little to address underlying price pressures.
As of Thursday, security officials had issued no statements detailing the circumstances of Sacdiyo’s arrest or any potential charges. It was not immediately clear when she might be released.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
