What Banadir can Learn from Berlin, Germany
Berlin is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is also one many city-states in Germany.
Mogadishu, the capital city of the Federal Republic of Somalia, can learn from Berlin to become both a city-state and the capital city of modern state.
Both Mogadishu and Berlin are old cities, Mogadishu may be older than Berlin, since the later dates only to 13th century.
Mogadishu has now A Governor and Mayor, the same person holds both offices. In Berlin, however, the two offices are one and they call Governing Mayor, GM. The GM chooses about 9 senators or so to govern the city with him;
Unlike Berlin, Mogadishu does not have house of representatives representing the people living in the town, yet they pay taxes. Talk about taxation without representation.
The GM in Berlin is elected by the members of the House of the Representatives. The Governor-Mayor in Mogadishu is appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. So, the G-M in Mogadishu is accountable to the Federal Government not to the people in Mogadishu.
Berlin has 12 districts, or boroughs; Mogadishu has 17. Berlin’s population has higher than the people in Mogadishu.
Berlin has a Constitution that has passed a public referendum, Mogadishu does not have one. In fact a conference has ended today in Mogadishu contributing to the review of the Provisional Federal Constitution of Somalia, Mogadishu was not party to it, yet the conference took place in Mogadishu.
The G-M in Mogadishu has promised elections before the end of the year, about 2 months and half remain from the year, and there is visible activities aimed at holding elections. There is talk of Constitutions for the city.
Mogadishu like Berlin was once divided into two parts, occupied by hostile forces.
Mogadishu faces the highest insecurity in the country, more people are killed or wounded in this town more than any other town in the country. If it elects representatives who in turn elect Governing Mayor, than Mogadishans will have a chance to hold their representatives accountable to them, by firing them if they don’t improve security, health services, education and other things that are important to them.
