n a move sparking outrage among many Somali Region residents, President Mustafe Omar has reportedly allocated 10 million birr for a single-day conference in Addis Ababa—despite ongoing shortages of water, healthcare, and education in his region.
According to multiple sources, the Somali Regional Administration chartered an airplane to transport 300 individuals from Jigjiga to Addis Ababa, aiming to stage a “massively successful” and visually impressive gathering. Observers say the intent was to showcase apparent support from Somali citizens living in the capital.
This lavish expenditure comes at a time of deep mistrust between the public and Mustafe’s leadership. The controversy follows the arrival of over 70 Somali elders in Addis Ababa to submit complaints directly to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in response to Mustafe’s highly disputed restructuring of zones and woredas. The decision, which has drawn opposition from all Somali Region zones and from neighboring Oromia, has been widely criticized as divisive and destabilizing.
Local residents and political observers are questioning the rationale behind such a costly conference. “If there is money to fly hundreds of people to Addis for a political show, why is there no money to dig wells, build clinics, or fix schools?” asked one critic, who spoke to HornCurrent.com on condition of anonymity.
Several outspoken interviewees expressed the belief that Mustafe’s days in office may be numbered. “The federal government is watching, the people are watching, and his repeated mistakes are piling up,” said another political commentator. “It is only a matter of time before he is removed.”
For many in the Somali Region, the Addis Ababa event has become a symbol of misplaced priorities, fueling the growing perception that Mustafe Omar’s administration is more focused on political image-building than on addressing the urgent needs of its citizens.
