Hargeisa Electricity Commission Inspects Cables and Poles

On 28 April 2022, Somaliland Standard reported that the national electricity commission had commenced an inspection exercise to evaluate the safety of electricity connections across Hargeisa. According to that report, the campaign began in congested areas of the city environs. The commission toured State House slums and the recently burnt Waheen Market to ascertain the quality and design of electricity supply, and also checked the nature of connections into homes and businesses.

The inspection followed what the report described as the worst fire disaster in Somaliland's history. The report does not date that disaster or identify its cause, and it does not link it to the Waheen Market fire.

What officials said

Mr. Mohamed Mohamud Abdi, identified by Somaliland Standard as the Director of the national electricity commission who led the inspection, said he had instructed power companies supplying the State House area to completely overhaul their supply mechanism. He instructed them to use new equipment and remove older ones, according to the report. The Director said the commission had recently inspected electricity connections in the State House area and found they needed a major overhaul, and that the commission then called electricity supply companies and gave them its recommendation.

According to the Director, Telesom Company began an operation on the day of the report to renew connection equipment in the State House area. The report does not give the scale, contract value or completion date of that operation. The Director confirmed that old poles and cables are going to be replaced, and said connections will also be organized in a structured way. Somaliland Standard also reported that an electricity committee had resolved to redesign electricity poles and cables in an organized manner.

Mr. Ahmed Farah Adare, Chairman of the commission, confirmed that the commission had started to implement the streamlining of the hazardous power supply sector, as reported. He said many electricity poles and cables left by power companies that have stopped operations in the city had been marked for removal, and that the commission wanted to bring order to the sector without delay. The report gives no date for that removal.

A government statement reported by Somaliland Standard said the government will tackle the problem of power lines hanging loosely and endangering lives.

Residents and what remains unknown

The residents association of State House welcomed the move, according to the report. Residents said their lives were in danger and that they worried about loose electrical cables hanging loosely and old electricity poles falling.

What the report establishes is a set of decisions and instructions, attributed to named officials of the commission as reported by Somaliland Standard, and a reported start of work by one power company. It does not establish that the inspection was completed, that replacements were carried out, or what has happened in Hargeisa's electricity network since that date.