[aquadayAquaks]

Mogadishu enjoys building boom

The threat came true: President Siad Barre was ousted in a 1991 coup, and the once elegant, Italian colonial-era seaside town was reduced to a wasteland of ruined buildings in years of bloody battles between rival militias.

Now, 21-years later and eight months after Al-Qaeda-allied insurgents abandoned much of the city following pressure from the African Union and government forces, the capital is showing signs of life, with reconstruction underway and land prices soaring.

"Security is still not reliable, but people decided they wanted to return life to normal," trader Ahmed Sheikh Gure said.

"People are rebuilding their destroyed buildings," he added, waving at a newly repaired shop and a busy construction site.

Though Somalia's war is far from over, a regional offensive did force Islamist Shebab insurgents from many strongholds and they abandoned the city in August.

The scars of war remain clear, with hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in and around Mogadishu, many in basic rag-and-plastic shelters, some in the crumbling ruins of roofless houses.

In Bakara market, the capital's war-torn economic heart, the signs of battle are fading slowly.

"You don't even think that war has ever taken place here," Gure said. "Thanks to God, because people have the opportunity to rebuild."

Bakara for many months was the epicentre of violence in one of the world's most dangerous capitals, forcing residents and businesses to flee.

Many Somalis are returning, bringing back capital earned abroad.

"People are rebuilding their homes," government spokesman Abdurahman Omar Osman said. "The Somali diaspora are coming back to help ... businesses are reopening."

Fighting erupted in Somalia in the late 1980s against Barre's dictatorship, escalating into a brutal civil war following a 1991 coup, with rival militias, warlords and Islamist fighters battling ever since for control of the lawless nation.

Less than a year ago, troops and insurgents exchanged daily mortar fire along frontlines, before Shebab fighters abandoned fixed positions and quit the city.

Now it is the construction industry that is busy.

"We are not jobless these days, construction is booming," painter Adan Sharif said. "Every four or five weeks we are called for a new construction job."

Reconstruction is expensive, but those who can are repairing their homes, plastering and painting over bullet-pocked walls, and blocking up holes punched into masonry by rocket-propelled grenades.

"Most of the buildings in our neighbourhood were renovated in recent weeks and are looking good, the area is no longer looking like the aftermath of war," said Fadumo Moalim, a mother of eight living in the city's Wardhigley district.

Abdulkadir Saleban, a grocer in Mogadishu's Maka Al-Mukarama road, said there was no way to claim compensation for property damage.

"You cannot imagine how much money we have spent," he said as he watched builders repair his shop.

Among the ruined buildings is a dramatic Catholic cathedral, built during Italian colonial days. Its stonework was used as target practice by Islamist fighters and now houses displaced people fleeing fighting outside the city.

Mogadishu's rebuilding has also sparked land speculation, with some fearful that reconstruction efforts may be wasted if the dark days of war return.

"Buying land is very hard these days because of the rising prices.


As land prices increase and repairs are made, the cost of living rises too, a problem for many in this grossly impoverished city.

Many borrow money to pay for renovations, then pay off the loans by renting out rooms to those returning to Mogadishu.

"Houses have become very, very expensive -- a room that used to cost $10 (a month) to rent ... today, you will not get a room like that for $40," estate agent Mohamed Abdullahi said.

"God willing, I hope people return and rebuild the country." Good news.

[DavidShreder]

more pictures please

---------- Post added 2012-05-22 at 15:24 ----------

@excel, most of the pictures did not show up, can you fix the link

[Colorostikse]

more pictures please

---------- Post added 2012-05-22 at 15:24 ----------

@excel, most of the pictures did not show up, can you fix the link

I don't know its crashed??

[QxmFwtlam]

I don't know its crashed??

yh some are not showing up, can you add more pictures please

[ATTILAGLIC]

yh some are not showing up, can you add more pictures please

Yes, in a minute i will.

[Kinds Of Pain Meds]

Hurray now I can go there without getting shot, arrested or discriminated...I've always been interested to go to Somalia, but I've been advised not to go and sometime I think people don't know what they're talking about. I was watching a Doc. on Somalia and much of the war has been exaggerated a bit, typical.
My dream of getting a Somali or Ethiopian wife shall come true soon enough...

[Nptxsews]

My dream of getting a Somali or Ethiopian wife shall come true soon enough...

Hmmm...

[adarmaSen]

Hurray now I can go there without getting shot, arrested or discriminated...I've always been interested to go to Somalia, but I've been advised not to go and sometime I think people don't know what they're talking about. I was watching a Doc. on Somalia and much of the war has been exaggerated a bit, typical.
My dream of getting a Somali or Ethiopian wife shall come true soon enough...

my dream is to go to Mogadisho one day as well

[c6vkuNRg]

my dream is to go to Mogadisho one day as well

Probably meet you there in the airport
By the way I've always wanted to ask this question, when Somalia regains its political and economical powers will they consider reclaiming their ethnic land in Ethiopia and Kenya? Like why not. Somalia would be bigger and not to mention the Kenyan and Ethiopian government don't really focus on those regions because they're muslim...not to be offensive or anything.

[hojutok]

Probably meet you there in the airport
By the way I've always wanted to ask this question, when Somalia regains its political and economical powers will they consider reclaiming their ethnic land in Ethiopia and Kenya? Like why not. Somalia would be bigger and not to mention the Kenyan and Ethiopian government don't really focus on those regions because they're muslim...not to be offensive or anything.

I have no idea, you better ask excel or other somalis here, but look at that coastline

[littlePen]

Hurray now I can go there without getting shot, arrested or discriminated...I've always been interested to go to Somalia, but I've been advised not to go and sometime I think people don't know what they're talking about. I was watching a Doc. on Somalia and much of the war has been exaggerated a bit, typical.
My dream of getting a Somali or Ethiopian wife shall come true soon enough...

Good for you, as long as you remember that same-sex marriage doesn't have official status in those countries, to say the least. lol

[xtrslots]

Good for you, as long as you remember that same-sex marriage doesn't have official status in those countries, to say the least. lol

[tmobmobfil]

That's good news, it would definitely be nice to visit.