Back in Beledweyne: Vivid Memories, Inspiring Stories, and a Bright Future

After almost three years away (two years and 9 months to be exact), I traveled back to Beledweyne for a short assignment. The last time I was there was in December 2018. That previous trip was my first return to the town after 8 years away. At that time, I wrote a blog post titled ‘Back to Beledweyne eight years later’. I was excited to go back to the town again. I spent three good years in Beledweyne between 2006 and 2009 studying at a secondary school. These three years shaped my life in many ways. I also learned many tough lessons from the fragile security situation, recurrent floods, and armed clashes.

When I visited Beledweyne in December 2018, I was disappointed with what I  saw. I felt that the situation had not improved after almost a decade since I left the town.

This time, the situation was different. Upon arrival, I have seen an ongoing construction of a new terminal at Ugaas Khaliif airport. A bus was also there picking up passengers to the city. Similar to the bus I saw in Baidoa, the Beledweyne bus collects $3 from each passenger. Only a few other vehicles have access to the airport, so passengers have no other option.

Beledweyne has a tarmac road constructed recently. The tarmac road starts in between the airport and the city. The driver who picked me up from the airport started explaining why the tarmac road started from there. He said that the initial plan was to construct 6 kilometers starting from Janta Kundishe to Howlwadaag bus station near the bridge (locally known as Buundo Liiqliiqato) that links the Howlwadaag village in the west to the other parts of the town. However, after deliberations and suggestion from Hirshabelle’s former president, three kilometers were switched to Howlwadaag village.

After arriving at the hotel I was booked to stay at, the driver pointed his fingers at a man sitting with three others in a far corner of the hotel restaurant. He said, “do you know that man?” I said, I wasn’t sure. “He is General Xuud”, the driver said. In less than one hour, I was sitting with General Xuud. He only had two bodyguards (not armed with guns). I knew he was a military general. I told him about my father, and he immediately remembered him as they were both working for the military forces and raised/extended his hand again and greeted me. For about 20 minutes we were chatting, I asked him several questions about the militias he mobilized and his vision for the Hiiraan region and the Hawadle clan he hails from. He was confident in his response and emphasized how his movement got overwhelming support from the community. He emphasized that he wants Hiiraan as a region to establish its own state. However, I did not get a clear picture of how such aspiration can be realized and the means he thinks can make this a reality.

I had the opportunity to meet with the Hawadle Ugaas, – Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan Ugaas Khaliif. He is the son of the late Ugaas Hassan Ugaas Khaliif who died in Mogadishu in February 2021. He is a young man in his late 30s. He is calm, humble and a good listener. We both grew up in Buulaburte, but we were in different peer groups. He recognized my face, but he could not tell who I was. After a short explanation, he recognized me and my family. He spoke about my elder brothers and sisters he knows and expressed his condolences for my brother who died recently. Ugaas Yusuf is a young man, but he is already playing a key role in reconciling warring clans. We talked about politics, the upcoming elections, and reconciliations.

It was a great pleasure to visit my high school, Sheikh Mohamed Moalin Primary, and Secondary School. The school principal, Ahmed Dhaqane, invited me to speak to students at the podium the day I reached the town. But when I arrived at the school, I found out that the classes started earlier than I thought, and students were already studying. The vice-principal, Ustaad Tawane Maquul, my former Tarbiya, and Mathematics teacher, asked me to talk to the last year (12^th grade) students. Grade 12 has three classes (A, B, & C). class A is only for male students;  class B is a mix of male and female; while class  C is only for females. 12 years ago (2009) when I graduated from the school, we had only 9 female students who graduated with us. Now, the school has 90 female students graduating this year!

Teachers told me that students are not at the same level as we were and are not showing the same effort and dedication that we had. Smartphones and social media are consuming a lot of students’ time. I spoke to the three Grade 12 classes. I described to them  my life and study in Beledweyne and the situation of Sheikh Mohamed Moalin School in a difficult period. I emphasized the opportunities they have, which we did not have when we were in their class. I told them how we were in an exam when the Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia and how fighting between the Islamic Courts Union and those forces started in the outskirts of Beledweyne in December 2006. While in exam, parents came to the school who wanted to take their kids from the school. The exam was halted, and we ran away without knowing if we would be able to come back to the school again.

I recounted that I was coming to the school to take lessons while Ethiopian forces were standing at the front gate (they used to cut the telecommunication antenna, bring soldiers to the main streets, and collect water from the town in the morning). I emphasized that they (students) have peace and have no excuse for not studying hard. I also reminded them that their time is the most precious thing of their life. I hope my words inspired some of them and would have a positive impact on their future.

I have a special connection with Sheikh Mohamed Moalin School, and I could not express the feeling I had while I was at the school. It is also great to see some of my teachers and administrators who are still working there, fighting ignorance and bringing light to the lives of the young generation. My classmate, Hussien Santur (also known as Diyeeshe), is now a teacher at the school. When he saw me at the school, he hugged me and invited me to the Grade 11 class he was in, and I spent few happy minutes with him and the students in that class. It was also a special privilege to meet and chat with two of my teachers – Osman Ato (my Arabic Language teacher) and Mohamed Ali Dirie (my Geography and History teacher). I am glad that my relationship with my teachers has continued over the years.