MOGADISHU — Hundreds of traders at Bakaara Market, the country’s largest commercial hub, staged a protest on Wednesday over allegations that the federal government plans to sell part of the market’s land to private investors.
The demonstrators blocked key roads leading into the sprawling market in the capital, Mogadishu, bringing business activity to a near standstill for several hours. Witnesses said security forces were deployed to monitor the situation, though no major clashes were immediately reported.
Traders voiced anger over what they described as a looming eviction plan that could displace thousands of small-scale vendors, many of whom rely on daily earnings to support their families. Protest organizers said the action was intended to pressure authorities to clarify their intentions and halt any potential transfer of public land.
Protesters accused officials of attempting to hand over sections of the market to wealthy businessmen with close ties to the government, allegations that authorities have not publicly addressed. Many traders warned that such a move would not only strip them of their livelihoods but also disrupt supply chains that serve large parts of the city.
“We cannot accept a private group buying this market from the government,” said one female trader, speaking on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns. She added that vendors were determined to remain on the land despite threats of eviction.
Younger traders echoed her stance, warning they would resist any attempt to remove them. “This is our only source of income. We have nowhere else to go,” said a young vendor participating in the protest.
Another trader, a mother who has worked at the market for 28 years, described the situation as devastating. “This market is our life. Losing it means losing everything we have built over decades,” she said, calling on authorities to protect long-standing businesses.
Bakaara Market, established in the 1970s, is Somalia’s largest wholesale and retail center, employing thousands of people and supporting livelihoods across the capital and beyond. Economists say any disruption to its operations could have significant ripple effects on food supplies, retail trade and informal employment in Mogadishu.
The protest comes amid broader land reclamation efforts by Somali authorities, who say they are working to restore public assets and modernize urban infrastructure. In recent years, the government has sought to repossess land it says was illegally occupied during decades of conflict and state collapse.
However, opposition figures and affected communities have repeatedly accused officials of lacking transparency and, in some cases, reallocating public land to private investors. Previous eviction drives in the capital have at times led to tensions and sporadic clashes between residents and security forces.
The federal government has not issued an official statement regarding the allegations surrounding Bakaara Market. Traders, however, say President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had previously pledged that the market would remain protected, urging him to intervene and provide clarity on the situation.
As of Wednesday evening, traders said they were considering further demonstrations if their concerns are not addressed.
