Somalia: Farmaajo halts sale, transfer and lease of public land

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Outgoing Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has issued a decree suspending transfers of public land until proper regulations are put in place by parliament which is yet to be constituted according to the existing constitution.

In a tweet, Farmaajo said the government had launched an investigation into illegal property documents issued for the Ex-Control Afgoye penitentiary, educational institutions, and other areas in Sinai Market.

According to him, Somalia's current electoral mood influenced his decision to suspend licenses for the temporary or permanent use of Somalia's land, sea, and airspace.

"H.E Farmaajo in a Presidential decree reaffirms protection of public property & lands and freezes rights to take over, buy or lease especially the current state of elections. Any offender of abuse of power is liable to prosecution to protect these assets of the Somali people," read the tweet.

In August this year, Farmajo issued a similar decree that barred government officials from entering into new agreements during the electoral season. The move was interpreted as his wider plan to curtail the functions of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.

In February, police in Mogadishu destroyed a boarding the Hamar Boarding School. The school's principal believed that police targeted the property on behalf of outside investors because it sat on prime Mogadishu real estate. Somalia's Police Commissioner, Major General Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijaar, promised an investigation into the incident.

The outgoing president is facing stiff competition from among others, former presidents Shariff Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and Wadajir leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame.

GAROWE ONLINE