EXCLUSIVE First impressions of Hargeisa

[Caaro]

I just got to hargeisa yesterday and I’ve noticed some things since the last time I came here (~7 years ago).

This will be unbiased so here goes:

First thing I noticed was how big the city was, from the plane view it almost seemed like it was never ending. I was actually impressed, that was one thing going for them.

After I landed I realized the airport was kind of dingy. There was a runway at least

after you land you go through immigrations which is just one semi large room and there’s 6 counters, 5 of them for regular somalis and 1 for visas for foreigners (there was surprisingly many foreigners on my plane). this one german somali girl was brining her cadaan friends, she wasn’t wearing a hijab in addis ababa but put one on for hargeisa like her cadaan friends lmao. indha adeegnimadeeda she probably lined up for a visa claiming she was a foreigner

are these how all german somalis are?

after that it was just a baggage claim, your bag is in a room and you take it out. They make you pay $60 usd before entering and I was pretty annoyed by that but some lady explained it’s because they don’t receive much income from the government and need some form of revenue, which made sense. Hopefully the SL government invests more in their airports and airport workers.

Speaking of investment they should also invest in their roads and traffic. Wallahi billahi it’s so dangerous, so many potholes, rubble, and the roads are too thin you have to get off the road partly to make way for incoming traffic. Not to mention it’s so packed with everyone driving a car, luckily there were traffic guys at large junctions to help aid traffic. Otherwise there’d be a disaster at every intersection. Truck drivers are also tyrannical, they do whatever they want since if you crash into them you’re the one who’s probably gonna suffer.

I didn’t notice this last time but there are so many wild dogs, they all look healthy and clean though mashallah and they seem to be pretty docile and not afraid of humans. Some of them travel in packs too lol, my uncle told me in a nearby neighborhood there are dozens of them at a time.

Last thing I want to say, and probably the most important (or tied with the roads), is the trash. Here’s a video from the outskirts of the city and look at all the trash wtf. How would you even go about cleaning all this?

 

[Caaro]

wild dog in hargeisa. These dogs howl at the moon lol.

I saw one and its puppy howling and I also hear them at night.

cadaans would call this dog a mutt but I think they look better and healthier than i̶n̶b̶r̶e̶d̶ purebred dogs.

 

[Ascended Farax]

I just got to hargeisa yesterday and I’ve noticed some things since the last time I came here (~7 years ago).

This will be unbiased so here goes:

First thing I noticed was how big the city was, from the plane view it almost seemed like it was never ending. I was actually impressed, that was one thing going for them.

After I landed I realized the airport was kind of dingy. There was a fun way at least

after you land you go through immigrations which is just one semi large room and there’s 6 counters, 5 of them for regular somalis and 1 for visas for foreigners (there was surprisingly many foreigners on my plane). this one german somali girl was brining her cadaan friends, she wasn’t wearing a hijab in addis ababa but put one on for hargeisa like her cadaan friends lmao. indha adeegnimadeeda she probably lined up for a visa claiming she was a foreigner

@Apollo are these how all german somalis are?

after that it was just a baggage claim, your bag is in a room and you take it out. They make you pay $60 usd before entering and I was pretty annoyed by that but some lady explained it’s because they don’t receive much income from the government and need some form of revenue, which made sense. Hopefully the SL government invests more in their airports and airport workers.

Speaking of investment they should also invest in their roads and traffic. Wallahi billahi it’s so dangerous, so many potholes, rubble, and the roads are too thin you have to get off the road partly to make way for incoming traffic. Not to mention it’s so packed with everyone driving a car, luckily there were traffic guys at large junctions to help aid traffic. Otherwise there’d be a disaster at every intersection. Truck drivers are also tyrannical, they do whatever they want since if you crash into them you’re the one who’s probably gonna suffer.

I didn’t notice this last time but there are so many wild dogs, they all look healthy and clean though mashallah and they seem to be pretty docile and not afraid of humans. Some of them travel in packs too lol, my uncle told me in a nearby neighborhood there are dozens of them at a time.

Last thing I want to say, and probably the most important (or tied with the roads), is the trash. Here’s a video from the outskirts of the city and look at all the trash wtf. How would you even go about cleaning all this?

One thing I like about reer Hargeisa is their welcoming nature, the city needs work to become world class but the potential is there.

 

[Caaro]

One thing I like about reer Hargeisa is their welcoming nature, the city needs work to become world class but the potential is there.

I agree, I play chess every night at this coffee shop and not only are there some skilled players there they’re all nice and welcoming people. The trashtalking makes it even more fun there.

Many regulars, I’m the best there right now at chess but apparently there’s someone better who I didn’t play yet.

Even then there are 2 I have to play hard against and have beaten me many times as well.

 

[Caaro]

I agree, I play chess every night at this coffee shop and not only are there some skilled players there they’re all nice and welcoming people. The trashtalking makes it even more fun there.

Many regulars, I’m the best there right now at chess but apparently there’s someone better who I didn’t play yet.

Even then there are 2 I have to play hard against and have beaten me many times as well.

Also surprised at how common chess is, my uncles are sitting next to me as I’m typing this and they’ve been playing chess for the past hour and a half. We’re also going to the coffee shop tonight to play even more chess lol.

 

[Periplus]

There are only two major problems in Hargeisa imo: Not enough paved roads and Egal airport.

If they had the same amount of paved roads and pavements as Mogadishu, they would have the potential to be a world-class city in 10-15 years. The money is clearly there in the resident community, they just need to exploit it imo.

 

[Caaro]

There are only two major problems in Hargeisa imo: Not enough paved roads and Egal airport.

If they had the same amount of paved roads and pavements as Mogadishu, they would have the potential to be a world-class city in 10-15 years. The money is clearly there in the resident community, they just need to exploit it imo.

the roads are a legitimate hazard and on top of the heavy traffic and somali carelessness it’s a recipe for disaster wallahi.

The garbage problem is also worrisome. if this keeps up all of hargeisa would become a slum with garbage lying around everywhere.

Recycling and garbage collection programs are needed, not only would this benefit the city but bring more employment to the people and help distribute wealth. But the government would rather hoard it or use it to import khat

 

[Gadhwayne]

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[Periplus]

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I think the business community should pool together funds to build roads in areas they operate.

They benefit from the peace that Hargeisa offers, the least they can do is make it a more accessible place.

 

[Username]

Sounds like Mogadishu went I went 3 years ago, similar issues.

Also I didn't know you were a Lander.

 

[Mukhalas]

Before reading anything I already know what you wrote is just one pile of xaar because you are simply a hater guided by hate

 

[repo]

Before reading anything I already know what you wrote is just one pile of xaar because you are simply a hater guided by hate

He is saying it’s an urban sprawl with waste management problems.

 

[Caaro]

I didn't know you were a Lander.

I’m not

I’m in hargeisa, Somalia. But that’s besides the point, I don’t want to make this thread too political. Just wanted to talk about Hargeisa as a Somali city.

I’m staying here for about 10 more days because of family, then i’m going to laascaanood for 10 more days to visit more family, then I’m off to xamar to visit even more family lol.

I have a lot of people to meet and catch up with all over Somalia in the span of just over a month. I should have left earlier but I spent too much time renewing my passport.

 

[Username]

I’m not

I’m in hargeisa, Somalia. But that’s besides the point, I don’t want to make this thread too political. Just wanted to talk about Hargeisa as a Somali city.

I’m staying here for about 10 more days because of family, then i’m going to laascaanood for 10 more days to visit more family, then I’m off to xamar to visit even more family lol.

I have a lot of people to meet and catch up with all over Somalia in the span of just over a month. I should have left earlier but I spent too much time renewing my passport.

Damn, you got family everywhere.

I wouldn't visit anywhere else other than Xamar lol.

 

[Caaro]

Before reading anything I already know what you wrote is just one pile of xaar because you are simply a hater guided by hate

anything negative I said was purely objective and from observations. I don’t know what you think of me but I actually don’t hate hargeysa or the people.

I love it just as much as any other city wallahi. My main problems are with somaliland as a concept, the people I see as my family.

 

[Caaro]

He is saying it’s an urban sprawl with waste management problems.

He didn’t even bother reading it lol, I didn’t even say anything hateful

 

[Mukhalas]

He is saying it’s an urban sprawl with waste management problems.

I agree with what he wrote after reading his post, I thought he was going to talk shit in another potential fkd thread.

 

[convincation]

The roads and trash was a serious problem in xamar too. Only a few main roads are paved and most of those were by turks. Only certain neighbourhoods even have those around the centre but places on the outskirts have seriously bad roads.

I spent a while in oodweyne which is on the outskirts of xanar and I noticed other than it being a filled with camels, was that there wasn’t a single road in sight to cater to the alleyways, for miles on miles. Just one main road down back into xamar.

Garbage was a big issue all over the city aswel especially bakaraha. No one cares about trash the only trash people would collect off the roads were the occasional dead animal who got hit be a car or something else blocking the road.

People only tend to care about the cleanliness of their houses where you would see hooyos washing the floor for hours then dumping the dirty water right onto their doorstep.

 

[Mukhalas]

anything negative I said was purely objective and from observations. I don’t know what you think of me but I actually don’t hate hargeysa or the people.

I love it just as much as any other city wallahi. My main problems are with somaliland as a concept, the people I see as my family.

Your assessment was unbiased and fair, apologies for not giving you the benefit of the doubt since you always talk shit about SL and it's people.

Enjoy the City sxb.

 

[Caaro]

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I don’t think Subclans should be in charge of roads per say, but they should of course help out. If you put sub clans in charge of roads you would be encouraging them to actually make claim of certain neighborhoods and districts which would cause further division imo.

What should be done is putting more control over city planning and road building in the hands of civil engineers and other professionals. It’s one thing to have good roads but it’s another to have good roads that aren’t winding everywhere and dodging random houses plotted in the middle of the city.

People should notify the government of places they plan on developing and wait for them to be given heads up. Hospitals, schools, and other important institutions must be places strategically. Imagine if all the institutions were lopsided in one side of the city where a certain subclan lives in. That would be horrible planning.

Hargeisa is manshallah a fast growing city but Someone or some people must hold the reigns. Growing randomly would cause more harm than good. At this point anyone should do it until a competent government comes in to take it over.