Somalilandsun- As I wait to for a bus at Hargeisa’s congested make shift bus terminus that will ferry me to Heroawr district of the city my mind wanders. I cannot cease to imagine the bus stage I am waiting to get on a bus is a road intersecting the city.
Simply the municipal council of Hargeisa has failed to plan for a bus terminus to accommodate thousands of buses plying different city routes.
As the adage goes failing to plan is planning to fail Hargeisa municipality is facing many challenges that the ill equipped council lacks the know how to tackle.
Let me continue with my story…..soon the Toyota coaster bus is filled and my safari begins the estimated 4 kilometer journey will take me more than an hour to reach my destination across town Jigjigaryar an affluent part of the city where who is who in Somaliland reside.
The bus slacks past the notorious Goljano area, then Heroawr and later through the last section of my safari between Isgoyska and Koodhbuur is a torturous experience for passengers.
The youthful mayor of Hargeisa a Mr.Abdirahman Alias Solteco plies this road everyday to and from work with a four wheel land cruiser V8 model that his post as the City godfather can afford him. However this luxurious model can withstand potholes so the councilor Solteco is unperturbed for the moment.
Hargeisa is a city on the crossroads; and chaos is the order of the day all city roads ,alleys and backstreets have been taken over by buses and minivans causing congestion and stressing other motorists.
Another problem that the city council has failed to notice is that Hargeisa lack a sewage system this is a time bomb waiting to explode.
Many families who live next to tarmac roads spew their waste water on the poor tarmac roads because the city simply does not have a drainage system.
The city is dotted with pit latrines this is another hazard the council fail to notice they can contaminate underground water sources, this is dangerous.
Just imagine what contaminated water can do to a city of a million inhabitants a contagious disease like cholera or typhoid can wreck havoc the health of city residents.
As things look now mayor Solteco has a few options on the table first and foremost his council lacks knowledgeable persons for the mayor to consult however he can find expatriates with the expertise and experience on how to run the city he should seek their advise.
Secondly he should surround himself with knowledgeable people from with different disciplines of occupational expertise.
“The Blind cannot lead the blind”; is a series written by freelance journalist Guleid Abdi Maher —it will touch on different issues afflicting the people of Somaliland.
By:Guleid Abdi Maher
