# Berbera demonstration against electricity privatization, 17 January 2015

> Somaliland Sun reported a Berbera demonstration and a handover of the electricity agency to TAYO. The report does not establish what happened after 2015-01-17.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 1 October 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Business and Costs
- Tags: construction-risk, utilities
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/berbera-electricity-protest-2015-somaliland-sun

## Key points

- Somaliland Sun reported that residents demonstrated in Berbera on 2015-01-17 against the privatization of the district electricity agency.
- The report states the agency was handed over to a local private company called TAYO; it provides no transfer date, contract terms or value.
- The report does not establish whether the handover proceeded, was reversed, or whether TAYO still operates Berbera's electricity.

On 17 January 2015, Somaliland Sun reported that residents of Berbera demonstrated against the privatization of the district's electricity agency, and that the government had handed the agency over to a local private company called TAYO.

According to Somaliland Sun, the agency had been a government-run institution before it was handed over. The report does not give a transfer date, contract terms, contract value or duration for the handover, and no statement from TAYO, from the central government or from the Ministry of Energy or Mining on the handover or the protest is included.

Somaliland Sun reported that demonstrators gathered in the streets of Berbera and burned tyres, and described protesters saying they would not accept the privatization of the district's electricity agency or the handing over of what they described as a national asset to private people. The account does not give the number of demonstrators, any arrests, damage or the duration of the demonstration, and it does not establish whether any demonstration continued after 2015-01-17.

## What the report says about injuries and the official response

Somaliland Sun reported that three police officers were injured during the demonstration, citing reports from the district administration and police. It names no police or district administration official for that figure and reports no casualty count beyond the three officers.

According to Somaliland Sun, the Governor of Berbera, Mr. Fahmi Abdi Bidaar, urged restraint and said: "People should keep their peace and stability of their city and show restraint as there are no reasons of embarking such unrest."

## What the report does not establish

The 2015-01-17 account is a single report. It does not establish that the handover to TAYO was completed, legally finalised or permanent, nor does it give the ownership structure behind it. It does not establish that the privatization was reversed, cancelled or upheld afterwards, and it does not state TAYO's current status or whether it operates Berbera's electricity supply today. It also does not give a current tariff, service status or regulatory arrangement for Berbera, and it does not establish that privatization caused any specific tariff increase or service change.

The report records a dated local protest, a stated handover and an official appeal for calm. Whether the transfer proceeded, and on what terms, is not in the record.

## Questions

### What was the demonstration in Berbera about?

Somaliland Sun reported on 2015-01-17 that protesters demonstrated against the privatization of the electricity agency of Berbera and its being handed over to private people.

### Was the Berbera electricity agency handed over to TAYO?

Somaliland Sun reported that the government handed over the agency to a local private company called TAYO. The report does not give a transfer date, contract value or contract terms, and the transfer is not independently confirmed.

### What happened after 2015-01-17?

The report does not establish what happened after that date, including whether the handover proceeded, was reversed or was renegotiated, or whether TAYO still operates Berbera's electricity.

## Sources

- [Somaliland: Demonstration in Berbera Against Privatization of Electricity](https://somalilandsun.com/somaliland-demonstration-in-berbera-against-privatization-of-electricity/) — Somaliland Sun, 2015-01-17