Attack on city hall

Back in February I posted about a meeting I had with the Mayor of Mogadishu (the meeting was in January). It was a special opportunity for me for a number reasons, some of which I mentioned in the blog entry.

He really seemed like a nice guy and he gave me the impression that he was very sincere in his efforts to lift up one of the world’s most troubled cities. I saw him a few times after that, including the UK Queen’s birthday event at the British embassy in the protected airport area (now called AAIA). We had a short conversation about durable solutions for Somalis and I told him again how much I appreciated our discussion earlier in the year in his office.

on national TV

Soon after that event we would leave on vacation. A few weeks later, while we were still in Indiana, I received a Whatsapp message from my security coordinator alerting me to an attack at the Mogadishu city hall. The mayor had been seriously wounded in a suicide attack. The bomber was a blind woman who had been employed at city hall for several months working on a disabled access program. The suicide vest was hidden under her clothing and she was apparently not screened coming into the compound (which I find odd given how thoroughly I’m screened when I go through). Apparently her family has deep ties to Al-Shebab. The UN Special Envoy to Somalia, who is also a friend of mine, had met with the mayor previously and, though he was long gone before the bomb went off, he likely was also a target. The mayor was apparently flown to Doha for his life-threatening injuries and finally passed away Aug. 1.

I was a bit stunned. First and foremost was the loss of a good man as well as several others who were in the room. Secondly, it’s sobering to know how many places I go are attacked at some point. The chances of me being in an attack aren’t that great but it does make you think. I was in a meeting yesterday here in Mogadishu with a Somali who was born and raised in Turin, Italy. He’s part of the business diaspora who has come back to invest in the country. I asked him how his family, now Italian, feels about him being in Mogadishu. He said, “You know, there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity. My family’s trying to figure out where I am on that line.”