Mogadishu’s Mayor and Banadir Governor, Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Muungaab), on Tuesday officially broke ground on the restoration of Zoobe Road, a critical artery in Somalia’s capital severely damaged by recent floods and heavy rains.
Zoobe Road, which threads through the city’s central districts, serves as a main conduit for commerce and daily commutes for thousands of residents. In late April, torrential downpours washed away large sections of its surface, leaving deep ruts and undermining drainage culverts. The storms claimed nearly ten lives and displaced scores of families in low-lying neighborhoods across the city.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mayor Hussein underscored the project’s urgency and accountability to taxpayers. “We are committed to ensuring that the taxes collected from the public are returned in the form of improved services, including free education, enhanced healthcare, and the rehabilitation of critical roads like Zoobe and Shaqaalaha,” he said. He added that road repairs are just one pillar of a broader program to rebuild Banadir’s battered infrastructure.
Local businesses and drivers have long lobbied for action on Zoobe Road, frustrated by months of inaccessibility that drove up transport costs and slowed emergency vehicles. “Every day our trucks got stuck in the mud,” said Abdirahman Ali, a produce vendor in Hodan district. “Restoring this road means life can return to normal for my family and my customers.”
Mayor Hussein also confirmed that the adjacent Shaqaalaha Road—and several secondary routes in key districts will be overhauled in the coming weeks. The multi-million-dollar initiative is funded through a combination of municipal revenues and international partners, including contributions from the African Development Bank.
The ceremony drew a cross-section of Somali civic life: Banadir deputy governors, the Hodan district commissioner, traditional elders, business leaders, senior civil servants—and dozens of residents cheering from the roadside. Their turnout signaled strong community backing for the administration’s rebuilding agenda.
Somalia’s capital has endured decades of conflict and chronic underinvestment in public works. This latest push, launched just as the country prepares for crucial national elections, is being watched closely as a barometer of Mogadishu’s capacity to deliver basic services and boost public confidence.
As heavy rains continue to threaten East Africa’s Horn, officials say they will fast-track improvements to the city’s stormwater system alongside road repairs—aiming to break the cycle of seasonal damage and help secure Mogadishu’s fragile recovery.
