After decades of violence and chaos, a stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, is finally hosting a soccer tournament, drawing thousands to the sports venue that had been abandoned for years and then served as a base military during the country’s civil war.
Somali authorities have worked for years to restore Mogadishu’s national stadium, and on December 29, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre inaugurated a national football tournament. This competition marks an important step in efforts to restore public life after decades of violence.
Somalia’s fragile central government is still struggling to assert itself after the national chaos that began with the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, when public infrastructure such as the Mogadishu stadium fell into neglect.
The excitement is palpable as thousands of people flock to the stadium each afternoon. The crowds roar with delight at the spectacle of the competition.
The Islamist extremist group Al-Shabab, which has ties to the Islamic State, still sometimes launches attacks on hotels, government offices and other public places, but many Somalis are willing to face these risks to enjoy the stadium, which benefits from a significant security presence.
“Praise be to God,” said Jubaland team player Mohamud Abdirahim, whose team beat Hirshabelle in a thrilling encounter on Tuesday that ended in a penalty shootout. “This tournament, in which all regions of Somalia are participating, is exceptionally special. It will be part of our history.”
Khadro Ali, a staunch Hirshabelle supporter, said she “felt liberated”.
The Somali states of Jubaland, South West, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and the Banadir administrative region are participating in the competition. The state of Puntland does not participate due to a political dispute with the central government, and Somaliland has long asserted its administrative independence.
The stadium was badly damaged during the Civil War and then was used as a military base.
The stadium served as a base for Ethiopian troops between 2007 and 2009, then was occupied by Al-Shabab militants from 2009 to 2011. More recently, between 2012 and 2018, the stadium was a base for soldiers of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
“When this stadium was used as a military camp, it was a source of pain and suffering. But now you can see how it has been transformed and intended to fulfill its original role, which is to play football,” said Ali Abdi Mohamed, president of the Somali Football Federation.
His sentiments were echoed by Somali Sports Minister Mohamed Barre, who said this former military base has transformed into a place where people with similar interests can come together… and we want the world to do so. way.