MOGADISHU — Hundreds of traders from Bakara Market, Somalia’s largest commercial center, demonstrated on Wednesday after claiming that authorities had ordered the market’s closure and directed them to leave the premises.
Fears of Commercial Displacement
The sudden eviction orders have sparked intense concerns among the business community that the valuable property might be transferred to affluent individuals with strong government connections. In response, protesters effectively obstructed key access routes to the market, venting their deep frustration over what they characterized as a targeted attempt to displace established local businesses.
During the demonstration, vendors alleged that the government was actively attempting to transfer the land’s ownership to specific private merchants. This disruption adds to the growing anxiety among local business owners regarding recent federal economic directives and commercial regulations.
Appeals for Presidential Intervention
Demonstrators urgently called upon the Somali president to intervene immediately and halt the eviction process. A female market vendor adamantly stated her refusal to accept the market being sold to a particular faction, emphasizing that the traders were fully prepared to defend their livelihoods.
Young business operators also cautioned that they would vehemently oppose any attempts to forcibly compel them from their established business locations. Another trader, who had continuously operated a small enterprise at the market for 28 years, deemed the potential eviction catastrophic, pointing out that the site had consistently served as her primary source of income.
Collectively, the traders reiterated their unified demand for prompt presidential intervention, firmly asserting that the historic market should remain exempt from political conflicts and pledging not to depart from their commercial spaces.
