By Harir Yassin
In a dramatic week that exposed the fragility of Somaliland’s governance and regulatory institutions, the coordinated decision by telecom giants Telesom, Somtel, and Soltelco to hike internet and mobile call prices triggered a wave of public outrage, culminating in a nationwide protest movement. The government’s response—marked by confusion, misinformation, and a last-minute presidential reversal—has raised serious questions about executive leadership, regulatory capture, and the future of public accountability in Somaliland.
The Price Hike: A Coordinated Shock
On August 8, 2025, Somaliland’s three dominant telecom providers simultaneously announced steep increases in internet and mobile call prices. The uniformity of the hike doubling some service rates suggested not market competition but collusion, sparking immediate backlash across the country.
The timing was especially provocative. The hike came amid growing public frustration over economic stagnation and limited digital access. For many, the move felt like a betrayal and exploitation of monopoly power at the expense of ordinary citizens.
Public Mobilization: A Peaceful Uprising
The public response was swift and organized. Civic leaders, including lawyer Guuleed Dafac, began mobilizing for a nationwide peaceful protest scheduled for Sunday, August 10. The protest was not limited to Hargeisa it spread to Burco, Boorama, Berbera, Gabiley, Erigavo, and other towns, signaling a rare moment of unified civic resistance.
Social media became the epicenter of coordination, with hashtags like #InternetJustice and #StopTheHike trending across platforms. Citizens from all walks of life students, business owners, rural communities joined the call, demanding transparency, fairness, and accountability.
Ministry Missteps: Bureaucracy in Crisis
On Saturday morning, the Ministry of Telecommunications and Technology convened an emergency meeting with the telecom companies. The outcome was the formation of a committee to “study the issue”, a move widely seen as bureaucratic deflection rather than decisive action.
The committee lacked transparency, had no timeline, and excluded civil society representation. Worse, the Ministry had previously endorsed the price hikes, citing vague justifications like “service quality improvements.” This endorsement, followed by a weak attempt at damage control, revealed a regulatory body compromised by corporate influence.
Disinformation and Denial: Interior Ministry’s Fabrication
As protest organizers filed formal requests for demonstration permits, the Ministry of Interior responded with outright denial claiming no such requests had been received. In a stunning act of disinformation, the Ministry circulated an image of Dafac’s actual letter stamped “FAKE,” contradicting their own denial.
This fabrication, quickly exposed on social media, further eroded public trust and raised serious questions about the government’s willingness to suppress dissent to protect corporate interests.
Presidential Panic: A Midnight Facebook Reversal
Late Saturday night, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Cirro” took to his personal Facebook page to announce that the price hikes had been halted indefinitely:
“The Government and the telecommunications companies in the country have agreed to suspend the recent decision to increase the price of internet services and mobile phone calls. Prices will remain unchanged until further notice.”
The announcement bypassed formal channels no cabinet statement, no press briefing, no explanation of how the reversal was negotiated. It appeared to be a solo executive maneuver, driven by fear of mass protest rather than strategic governance.
Somtel was the first to comply, issuing a statement that it had accepted the suspension “as a public company.” The reversal drew praise from protest organizers, but also underscored the reactive and improvised nature of the government’s decision-making.
Anatomy of a Governance Breakdown
This crisis reveals a deeply troubling pattern:
- Regulatory Capture: The Ministry’s initial support for the price hike and its weak response to public backlash suggest that it operates under the influence of telecom giants rather than in service of the public.
- Corporate-State Entanglement: Telesom and Somtel are subsidiaries of powerful conglomerates—Telesom Group and Dahabshiil Group, respectively with holdings in banking, energy, and real estate. Their executives and former employees occupy key government positions, blurring the line between regulator and regulated.
- Executive Improvisation: The president’s use of a personal social media account to announce a major policy reversal reflects a breakdown in institutional process and public communication. It was a reactive move, not a proactive solution.
- Public Awakening: The rapid mobilization of peaceful protest across Somaliland reflects a growing demand for transparency, fairness, and participatory governance. Citizens are no longer passive recipients of policy—they are active agents of accountability.
Conclusion: A Defining Moment for Somaliland’s Democratic Future
The telecom crisis was not simply about pricing, it was a referendum on governance, legitimacy, and the relationship between state and citizen. The government’s disorganized response, the Ministry’s disinformation campaign, and the president’s midnight panic all point to a system struggling to uphold its democratic promise.
This moment offers Somaliland a rare opportunity: to confront the structural weaknesses that allowed corporate interests to override public welfare, and to rebuild trust through transparency, reform, and inclusive dialogue. The peaceful protests were not just a rejection of unfair pricing; they were a call for institutional integrity, regulatory independence, and leadership accountability.
If Somaliland’s leaders are willing to listen, this crisis could become a turning point. If not, it may be remembered as the moment when the people stood up and the government stood down.
Like this:
Like Loading...
