CCTV Cameras in Mogadishu: A Double-Edged Sword

For more than a year the Somali government has been using security cameras as a key part of its strategy for countering the violence of the Islamist group al-Shabab within the capital city. Many businesses installed CCTV as requested and according to many residents it has had a positive impact on crime and in making people feel safer. But, in response, al-Shabab has shot dead a number of businessmen, leaving the business community feeling very vulnerable and unsure whether to leave the cameras up or take them down. One told Africa Daily he feels like he’s trapped between two ‘flames’: al-Shabab on the one side, and the government on the other. But Mohamed Ahmed Diriye, who’s in charge of security for the government in Mogadishu, says the use of cameras has led to a reduction in bombings, and that the government is deploying more security forces to try to reassure the business community.

Producer: Mohamed Gabobe