By Mohammed A Mohammud (Baldho)

Introduction

Few Somali cities symbolise both the promise and the tragedy of Somalia as profoundly as Galkacyo. Situated at the heart of the country, the city has long served as a commercial gateway linking northern and southern Somalia. It is a place where trade, pastoral livelihoods and entrepreneurship have flourished despite decades of political instability. Yet, instead of becoming a model of national integration and economic growth, Gaalkacyo has repeatedly been reduced to a battleground for political competition and inter-clan tensions.

Today, once again emerge of military reinforcements and rising tensions in and around the city, Gaalkacyo residents should ask a simple but urgent question: have we learnt anything from the past? The answer, regrettably, appears to be no.

Every cycle of confrontation in Gaalkacyo has followed a familiar pattern. Political disagreements escalate into military deployments. Communities become anxious. Markets slow down. Families begin preparing for displacement. Elders intervene to restore calm after lives have already been lost, only for the same mistakes to be repeated a few years later. This cycle has become so familiar that many have come to accept it as inevitable. It is not

For too long, the discourse surrounding Gaalkacyo has been dominated by the grim lexicon of war: checkpoints, militias, and frontlines, buffer zone, and armed militias. However, a critical examination of the city’s trajectory reveals a devastating truth: the cycle of violence is not an inevitable curse of nature but a consequence of sustained political negligence, failed governance, and a cynical addiction to militarism over meaningful development. The current sabre-rattling and reinforcement of forces in the region signal a regression to the dark days of 2015 and 2016, ignoring the hard-won lessons of the local peace processes. It is a policy of deliberate destabilisation that serves only the narrow political interests of a few. The people of Gaalkacyo deserve better than this.

Lessons from History

The roots of today’s challenges lie in the political fragmentation that followed the collapse of the Somali state in 1991. Like many parts of the country, Gaalkacyo experienced profound changes as competing political authorities emerged and administrative boundaries hardened.

Over time, the northern part of the city came under the administration that later became Puntland, while the southern part formed part of what would eventually become Galmudug. Although administrative divisions developed, the people themselves remained connected through family ties, business relationships and generations of coexistence. Commerce continued across neighbourhoods, marriages united families from different communities, and local elders remained influential in resolving disputes.

This social fabric is often overlooked in political discourse. Too frequently, Gaalkacyo is portrayed solely as a divided city. In reality, it has always been a shared city whose people have repeatedly demonstrated a remarkable capacity for reconciliation whenever political leaders have allowed space for dialogue.

One of the clearest examples was the Gaalkacyo Peace Agreement of 1993. Brokered through the efforts of respected Somali leaders and traditional elders, the agreement sought to restore stability after the violence that followed the collapse of the central government. It facilitated the return of displaced families, reduced military tensions and enabled commercial activity to resume.

The agreement reflected one of Somalia’s greatest strengths: the ability of communities to resolve conflicts through dialogue, customary law and consensus. Yet its long-term promise was never fully realised.

Neither national nor international actors invested sufficiently in transforming that local agreement into a durable peacebuilding framework. Institutions remained weak, public investment was minimal, and the city continued to be viewed primarily through a security lens rather than as an engine of economic growth. The result was predictable. The underlying political and administrative disputes remained unresolved, leaving Gaalkacyo vulnerable to renewed confrontation.

The Cost of the 2015 and 2016 Conflicts

The façade of stability shattered spectacularly in 2015 and 2016, marking a low point in the city’s modern history. The conflict was ostensibly triggered by political expansionism and territorial disputes. However, the roots lay deeper: competition for grazing land, water points, exacerbated by the presence of Al-Shabaab elements exploiting the security vacuum.

The conflict of 2015 was brutal. It was characterised by the use of heavy weaponry, indiscriminate shelling, and the displacement of over 60,000 civilians. It was a conflict that saw the rise of battle wagons and a flagrant disregard for civilian infrastructure. The 2016 escalation was even more severe, leading to the internationalisation of the dispute and a flurry of desperate mediations. These conflicts did not resolve any issue; they merely recalibrated the balance of fear. They provided nothing but death, destruction, and the maiming of youth who were cynically recruited to fight for the interests of distant politicians. These young men, the future of the city, were sacrificed on the altar of political ambition.

What is striking about these conflicts is the role of the federal government of Somalia. Rather than investing in conflict resolution mechanisms or de-escalation, FGS’s strategy was overwhelmingly militaristic role play. This demonstrates a profound lack of political maturity and a failure to understand that a military solution in a culturally homogenous and intermarried society is a chimera. The state was fighting a war against its own people.

The Quiet Success of Local Peacebuilding

Following the violence of 2015 and 2016, local elders, community representatives and government officials undertook an intensive reconciliation process that remains one of Somalia’s most significant, yet least recognised, peacebuilding achievements. This agreement emphasised the withdrawal of “excess” forces, the establishment of joint security committees, and crucially, the facilitation of a return for displaced populations.

Rather than relying exclusively on formal political negotiations, communities engaged directly with one another. Traditional mechanisms of reconciliation were revived. Disputes were addressed through dialogue. Compensation arrangements were negotiated where appropriate. Displaced families gradually returned home, markets reopened and movement across different parts of the city resumed.

For several years, Gaalkacyo demonstrated that peaceful coexistence was not only possible but practical. Businesses recovered, commercial links strengthened and ordinary citizens resumed the routines of everyday life. Yet this remarkable achievement received little sustained support.

Peace agreements, however well negotiated, cannot endure indefinitely without tangible improvements in people’s daily lives. Communities that experience peace but continue to live without reliable roads, clean water, sanitation, employment and functioning public institutions inevitably become vulnerable to renewed instability. This is precisely where Gaalkacyo finds itself today.

The city’s greatest challenge is no longer simply preventing conflict; it is transforming peace into development. Unless that transformation takes place, every period of calm will remain vulnerable to the next political crisis.

Militarisation Is Not a Strategy

The recent movement of additional forces into and around Gaalkacyo should concern every Gaalkacyo residence who values peace and stability. In a city that still carries the scars of previous conflicts, military mobilisation is never interpreted as a routine security measure. It sends a powerful political message, one that revives painful memories and fuels uncertainty among communities that have worked tirelessly to rebuild trust.

Security is undoubtedly a legitimate responsibility of government. Every state has the duty to protect its citizens and maintain public order. However, there is a fundamental difference between providing security and pursuing militarisation as a substitute for political leadership. Gaalkacyo has repeatedly demonstrated that the accumulation of armed forces cannot resolve disputes rooted in governance, administration, resource management and political mistrust.

The conflicts of 2015 and 2016 proved precisely that. Despite considerable military engagement, none of the underlying issues were resolved through force. Peace returned only after dialogue, mediation and community led reconciliation. To repeat the same military approach today while expecting a different outcome would ignore the lessons of recent history.

The Development Deficit

While political leaders debate administrative boundaries and security arrangements, many residents of Gaalkacyo continue to face challenges that have little to do with politics and everything to do with governance.

The city still lacks many of the basic public services expected of a regional commercial centre. Poor urban planning has contributed to flooding, inadequate drainage and environmental degradation. A modern sewage system remains absent, creating significant public health risks, particularly during the rainy seasons.

Road infrastructure remains another major constraint. The strategic road connecting Gaalkacyo with Bosaso requires substantial rehabilitation, increasing transport costs for businesses and reducing economic competitiveness. Likewise, improving transport links between Garacad Port, Gaalkacyo and neighbouring markets would significantly strengthen regional trade.

The modernisation of Abdullahi Yusuf International Airport presents another untapped opportunity. A more efficient airport would improve domestic and international connectivity, attract investment and strengthen Gaalkacyo’s position as a commercial hub linking central and northern Somalia.

These are not ambitious dreams beyond Somalia’s reach. They are practical development priorities capable of generating employment, stimulating private investment and strengthening public confidence in government institutions.

Unfortunately, they have too often been overshadowed by political disputes and security concerns. The irony is striking. Resources continue to be devoted to managing repeated cycles of tension while comparatively little attention is given to the investments that would reduce those tensions over the long term.

Shared Responsibility

Assigning blame alone will not move Gaalkacyo forward. The Federal Government of Somalia, Puntland and Galmudug each bear responsibilities for safeguarding stability while promoting development. Political differences between governments should never come at the expense of ordinary citizens whose primary concerns are security, livelihoods and public services.

The Federal Government has a constitutional responsibility to support peacebuilding across the country. This role extends beyond responding to immediate security incidents. It includes encouraging dialogue, facilitating cooperation between federal member states and ensuring that development initiatives reach strategically important cities such as Gaalkacyo.

Similarly, regional administrations have a responsibility to prioritise the welfare of their citizens above political competition. Public confidence is strengthened not by displays of military strength but by visible improvements in governance, infrastructure and service delivery.

Investing in People

Somalia’s greatest resource has always been its people, particularly its young generation. Across Gaalkacyo, thousands of young men and women are eager to contribute to their communities if given the opportunity. They require quality education, vocational training, access to finance and pathways into productive employment.

The private sector also has an essential role to play. Gaalkacyo has long been known for its entrepreneurial spirit. Local businesses have continued trading despite insecurity, demonstrating remarkable resilience. Government policies should encourage this spirit through improved infrastructure, transparent regulation and easier access to investment.

Strengthening Local Governance

Traditional elders have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to mediate disputes before they escalate. Rather than operating separately from formal government structures, these customary institutions should work alongside elected local authorities, police services and judicial institutions in a complementary manner.

Strengthening municipal government would also improve accountability for service delivery. Local authorities are often best placed to understand community priorities, whether those involve waste management, road maintenance, urban planning or dispute resolution.

Federalism should encourage cooperation rather than competition. The constitutional relationship between the Federal Government and the Federal Member States will continue to evolve, but these political discussions should never prevent practical cooperation on issues that directly affect ordinary citizens. Roads, hospitals, schools and water systems should not become casualties of political disagreement.

Conclusion

Gaalkacyo has carried the burden of conflict for far too long. Its people have endured displacement, economic hardship and political uncertainty with remarkable resilience. They have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to reconcile, rebuild and move forward. What they require now is leadership that rewards those efforts rather than placing them at risk once again. Somalia’s future will not be secured by increasing the number of armed men stationed in its cities. It will be secured by increasing the number of children attending school, the number of young people finding meaningful employment, the number of businesses investing with confidence and the number of communities connected by roads instead of divided by frontlines.

The true measure of political leadership is not the capacity to mobilise forces; it is the ability to improve people’s lives. For Gaalkacyo, that means replacing uncertainty with opportunity, political rivalry with cooperation and military competition with sustainable development. The city has already shown that peace is possible. It is now the responsibility of Somalia’s leaders to prove that peace can also be lasting. The people of Gaalkacyo do not ask for special treatment. They ask only for what every Somali community deserves: security founded on justice, prosperity built through development and a future free from the recurring fear of conflict.

Mohammed A Mohammud (Baldho)
Email: baldho@gmail.com