Gaalkacyo
Encyclopedia
Galkayo also known as Galcaio or Galkacyo, is the capital of the north-central Mudug
region of Somalia
. The city is divided into two zones, where the main northern portion forms part of Puntland
state, while its southern tip is governed by the Galmudug
administration.
Ruled in the early modern period by the Sultanate of Hobyo
and later forming a part of Italian Somaliland
, the city has grown considerably in recent times and serves as a commercial center. It has an estimated population of 545,000 inhabitants.
Sultanate of Hobyo
established by Sultan
Yusuf Ali Kenadid.
Initially, Kenadid's goal was to seize control of the neighboring Majeerteen Sultanate
, which was then ruled by his cousin Boqor Osman Mahamuud
. However, he was unsuccessful in this endeavor, and was eventually forced into exile in Yemen
. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the Arabian Peninsula
with a band of Hadhrami
musketeer
s and a group of devoted lieutenants. With their assistance, he managed to overpower the local Hawiye
clans and establish the kingdom of Hobyo.
In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with the Italians
, making his realm an Italian protectorate
. His rival Boqor Osman would sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Sultanate the following year. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his dispute with the Sultan of Zanzibar over an area bordering Warsheikh
, in addition to his ongoing power struggle over the Majeerteen Sultanate with Boqor Osman. Both Sultan Kenadid and Boqor Osman also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
The Italians subsequently referred to the city as Gallacaio, and later, as Rocca Littorio.
, it is sectioned along a north/south axis, with the main northern portion forming a part of the autonomous Puntland
state, while the southern tip is governed by the Galmudug
administration. Puntland administers most of Galkayo, including key traffic checkpoints and the city's airport.
Although relatively stable compared to southern Somalia, sporadic targeted assassination attempts by Al-Shabaab militants against Puntland public officials led in 2010-2011 to a police crackdown and comprehensive administrative reform. The Puntland and Galmudug administrations subsequently signed an accord in Garowe in February 2011, officially agreeing to cooperate on security, economic and social matters so as to strengthen inter-regional relations. In April of that year, the Puntland government also replaced the Mudug region's Governor and his deputies and dissolved the local district council. A separate interim regional committee tasked with assuring security was also set up.
The municipal government is currently led by Abdirahman Mohamdu Haji
, a local businessman who was appointed Mayor
in a 2009 election overseen by the Puntland administration.
barracks kept in good condition and renovated.
Moreover, Galkayo is a hub of calligraphic
art, serving as a training ground of sorts for local visual artists. Elaborate murals and phrases in Arabic and English adorn the walls of the city's many office and shop buildings.
, a Darod
clan, while the southern, Galmudug-administered part of the city is mainly inhabited by the Sa'ad Habar Gidir
, a Hawiye
clan. Clan tensions in the area have historically been high.
has a branch in the city.
, Djibouti
and Wajir
, among other places. The airport has acted as a buffer zone between Galkayo's two main divisions. Taxes collected by the airport authority are split equally between the Puntland and Galmudug administrations, facilitating relations between the two governments.
Galkayo is also transversed by a 750km north-south highway, which connects major cities in the northern part of the country, such as Bosaso and Garowe, with townships in the south.
So as to improve public services, the city's road systems are being rehabilitated. To this end, the local stadium is also being reconstructed.
(formerly Radio Free Somalia), which is affiliated with the Puntland government and with the Somali Salvation Democratic Front
(SSDF).
Mudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
region of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. The city is divided into two zones, where the main northern portion forms part of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
state, while its southern tip is governed by the Galmudug
Galmudug
Galmudug is an autonomous region in central Somalia. It is bordered to its north by the Puntland region, to the west by Ethiopia, and to the south by other regions of Somalia.Galmudug's name is derived from a conflation of the Galguduud and Mudug provinces...
administration.
Ruled in the early modern period by the Sultanate of Hobyo
Sultanate of Hobyo
The Sultanate of Hobyo was a 19th century Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. It was carved out of the former Majeerteen Sultanate by Yusuf Ali Kenadid, cousin of the Majeerteen Sultanate's ruler, Boqor Osman Mahamuud....
and later forming a part of Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, the city has grown considerably in recent times and serves as a commercial center. It has an estimated population of 545,000 inhabitants.
Sultanate of Hobyo
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Galkayo formed a key part of the MajeerteenMajeerteen
The Majeerteen is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland region in northeastern Somalia....
Sultanate of Hobyo
Sultanate of Hobyo
The Sultanate of Hobyo was a 19th century Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. It was carved out of the former Majeerteen Sultanate by Yusuf Ali Kenadid, cousin of the Majeerteen Sultanate's ruler, Boqor Osman Mahamuud....
established by Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Yusuf Ali Kenadid.
Initially, Kenadid's goal was to seize control of the neighboring Majeerteen Sultanate
Majeerteen Sultanate
The Majeerteen Sultanate , also known as Migiurtinia, was a Somali ruling house in present-day northern Somalia. Ruled by King Osman Mahamuud during its Golden Age, it controlled much of northern and central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity had all of the organs of an...
, which was then ruled by his cousin Boqor Osman Mahamuud
Osman Mahamuud
Osman Mahamuud was a Somali ruler. He was the most prominent King of the Majeerteen Sultanate, leading the polity during its Golden Age in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries.-Majeerteen Sultanate:...
. However, he was unsuccessful in this endeavor, and was eventually forced into exile in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. A decade later, in the 1870s, Kenadid returned from the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
with a band of Hadhrami
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
musketeer
Musketeer
A musketeer was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a dragoon or a cavalryman...
s and a group of devoted lieutenants. With their assistance, he managed to overpower the local Hawiye
Hawiye
The Hawiye is a Somali clan. Members of the clan primarily live in central and southern Somalia, in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province , and in smaller numbers in other countries. Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their ancestry to Irir Samaale...
clans and establish the kingdom of Hobyo.
In late 1888, Sultan Kenadid entered into a treaty with the Italians
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, making his realm an Italian protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. His rival Boqor Osman would sign a similar agreement vis-a-vis his own Sultanate the following year. Both rulers had signed the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist objectives, with Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his dispute with the Sultan of Zanzibar over an area bordering Warsheikh
Warsheikh
Warsheikh is a town in the southeastern Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia...
, in addition to his ongoing power struggle over the Majeerteen Sultanate with Boqor Osman. Both Sultan Kenadid and Boqor Osman also hoped to exploit the conflicting interests among the European imperial powers that were then looking to control the Somali peninsula, so as to avoid direct occupation of their territories by force.
The Italians subsequently referred to the city as Gallacaio, and later, as Rocca Littorio.
Administration
Galkayo is situated in the north-central part of Somalia, and is one of the most developed towns in the region. A divided cityDivided City
Divided City is a novel written by Theresa Breslin and published in 2005 by Doubleday. The novel is written for teenagers and adults concerning the problems of sectarianism in Glasgow and racism against asylum seekers....
, it is sectioned along a north/south axis, with the main northern portion forming a part of the autonomous Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
state, while the southern tip is governed by the Galmudug
Galmudug
Galmudug is an autonomous region in central Somalia. It is bordered to its north by the Puntland region, to the west by Ethiopia, and to the south by other regions of Somalia.Galmudug's name is derived from a conflation of the Galguduud and Mudug provinces...
administration. Puntland administers most of Galkayo, including key traffic checkpoints and the city's airport.
Although relatively stable compared to southern Somalia, sporadic targeted assassination attempts by Al-Shabaab militants against Puntland public officials led in 2010-2011 to a police crackdown and comprehensive administrative reform. The Puntland and Galmudug administrations subsequently signed an accord in Garowe in February 2011, officially agreeing to cooperate on security, economic and social matters so as to strengthen inter-regional relations. In April of that year, the Puntland government also replaced the Mudug region's Governor and his deputies and dissolved the local district council. A separate interim regional committee tasked with assuring security was also set up.
The municipal government is currently led by Abdirahman Mohamdu Haji
Abdirahman Mohamdu Haji
Abdirahman Mohamud Haji Hassan is a Somali politician. He is the current Mayor of Galkacyo, the capital of the Mudug region in north-central Somalia. A local businessman, Haji was appointed to the position in a 2009 election overseen by the autonomous Puntland administration.-References:...
, a local businessman who was appointed Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in a 2009 election overseen by the Puntland administration.
Services
A lively trading city, Galkayo is a center for local business. Hotels, guest houses, restaurants, supermarkets and newly-erected office blocks earmarked for the government and NGOs line the streets, juxtaposed by the tall minarets of masjids. The city also offers numerous social services such as hospitals, petrol stops and police stations, with the former Somali ArmyMilitary of Somalia
The Military of Somalia was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted...
barracks kept in good condition and renovated.
Moreover, Galkayo is a hub of calligraphic
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
art, serving as a training ground of sorts for local visual artists. Elaborate murals and phrases in Arabic and English adorn the walls of the city's many office and shop buildings.
Demographics
The city has an estimated population of 545,000 inhabitants. The main northern, Puntland-administered section of Galkayo is primarily inhabited by Somalis from the MajeerteenMajeerteen
The Majeerteen is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland region in northeastern Somalia....
, a Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
clan, while the southern, Galmudug-administered part of the city is mainly inhabited by the Sa'ad Habar Gidir
Habar Gidir
The Habar Gidir are a Somali clan, part of the larger Hawiye group.The clan has produced some prominent Somali figures, such as Abdullahi Issa, the chairman of the Somali Youth League and first Prime Minister of Somalia prior to independence, Dr...
, a Hawiye
Hawiye
The Hawiye is a Somali clan. Members of the clan primarily live in central and southern Somalia, in the Ogaden and the North Eastern Province , and in smaller numbers in other countries. Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their ancestry to Irir Samaale...
clan. Clan tensions in the area have historically been high.
Education
Galkayo is home to several high schools, including Mudug High School (Dugsiga sare ee Mudug), Omar Samatar, and the newly-built Al Shacab. There are also many elementary and secondary schools, such as Cabdullahi Ciise. Additionally, Puntland State UniversityPuntland State University
Puntland State University is a university in Garowe, the capital of the Puntland region of Somalia.-History:The school traces its roots back to the Garowe School of Management, a women's school in Garowe offering courses in accounting, computer skills, business English and business management...
has a branch in the city.
Transportation
The city is served by Galkayo Airport, which offers flights to Bosaso, MogadishuMogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, Djibouti
Djibouti (city)
The City of Djibouti is the capital and largest city in the Republic of Djibouti, a nation in the Horn of Africa. The biggest settlement on the Gulf of Tadjoura, it lies on a peninsula that separates that basin from the Gulf of Aden.-History:...
and Wajir
Wajir
Wajir is a town in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is the capital of Wajir County.-History:A cluster of cairns near Wajir are generally ascribed by the local inhabitants to the Madanle, a semi-legendary people of high stature, who are associated with the Somali Ajuuraan. A. T...
, among other places. The airport has acted as a buffer zone between Galkayo's two main divisions. Taxes collected by the airport authority are split equally between the Puntland and Galmudug administrations, facilitating relations between the two governments.
Galkayo is also transversed by a 750km north-south highway, which connects major cities in the northern part of the country, such as Bosaso and Garowe, with townships in the south.
So as to improve public services, the city's road systems are being rehabilitated. To this end, the local stadium is also being reconstructed.
Media
Galkayo counts several media organizations. These include Radio GaalkacyoRadio Gaalkacyo
Radio Gaalkacyo is a radio station based in Galkacyo, Somalia.-Overview:It has an associated website written in Somali and in English, presenting news and current events....
(formerly Radio Free Somalia), which is affiliated with the Puntland government and with the Somali Salvation Democratic Front
Somali Salvation Democratic Front
Somali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
(SSDF).
Notable residents
- Abdirizak Haji HusseinAbdirizak Haji HusseinAbdirizak Haji Hussein was Prime Minister of Somalia from 14 June 1964 to 15 July 1967.-Biography:Hussein was born in 1924 to a Majerteen Darod family in Galkacyo, the capital of the north-central Mudug region of Somalia...
, former Prime Minister of Somalia. - Abdullahi Yusuf AhmedAbdullahi Yusuf AhmedAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
, former President of Somalia, President of PuntlandPuntlandPuntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
and leader in the Somali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
, and one of the founders of the Puntland State of Somalia, the Transitional Federal GovernmentTransitional Federal GovernmentThe Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
and the Somali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic FrontSomali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
.