# Radio Mogadishu (Radio Muqdisho): Somalia's state radio since 1951

> Radio Mogadishu (Radio Muqdisho): founding in 1951, Soviet-era expansion, the 5 June 1993 clash, the 2001 reopening, its archive and the station today.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/society/radio-mogadishu/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Founding under the trusteeship

Radio Mogadishu was set up in 1951, when southern Somalia was the [Trust Territory of Somaliland](/en/history/un-trusteeship-1950-1960/) under Italian administration. It first broadcast news in Somali and Italian ([Radio Mogadishu, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)). In the north, Radio Hargeisa had already been on air since the 1940s ([Geeska, 2025](https://www.geeska.com/en/radio-hargeisa-and-rise-somali-modern-music)).

## After independence

After independence in 1960 the station was modernised with Soviet help and added a home service in Somali, Amharic and Oromo ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)). It became the home of Somali music: the Waaberi group of singers and musicians was the troupe of Radio Mogadishu and the National Theatre, with singers such as Magool, [Saado Cali](/en/people/saado-ali-warsame/) and [Xasan Aadan Samatar](/en/people/hasan-adan-samatar/) ([Music In Africa](https://www.musicinafrica.net/node/25169)).

## 1991 to 2001

The station closed when the civil war broke out in 1991 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)). In mid-1993 a radio station in Mogadishu was at the centre of tension between the UN operation [UNOSOM II](/en/history/un-intervention-1992-1995/) and the Somali National Alliance. The 5 June 1993 clash there led to a UN military offensive in the city ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)).

The [Transitional National Government](/en/history/transitional-governments-2000-2012/) of President [Abdiqasim Salad Hassan](/en/people/abdiqasim-salad-hassan/) officially reopened Radio Mogadishu on 23 August 2001 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu); [IRIN](http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=25342)).

## Working under threat

Until the capital came under government control in August 2011, the station worked from a walled compound guarded by soldiers. Its staff kept broadcasting news, talk shows and music despite threats ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)). NPR reported in March 2011 that reporters in the city risked their lives to cover the news ([NPR, 2 March 2011](https://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134203284/reporters-in-somali-city-risk-life-to-cover-story)). The New York Times reported on the station in 2010 ([New York Times, 30 March 2010](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/world/africa/30mogadishu.html)).

## The station today

Radio Mogadishu now broadcasts from central Mogadishu. In the late 2000s it started a website with news in Somali, Arabic and English, and in 2013 it began digitising its archives, which go back to 1951 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu); [Radio Muqdisho](https://radiomuqdisho.so/)). It has expanded its transmitters to reach more cities ([Mareeg](https://mareeg.com/radio-mogadishu-expanded-to-reach-more-cities/)). In January 2022 La Repubblica reported that the station had restarted a programme in Italian ([La Repubblica, 4 January 2022](https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2022/01/04/news/radio_mogadiscio_torna_a_parlare_italiano_ma_non_e_colonialismo_-332673648/)).

Wikipedia lists Abdiaziz M. Guled "Afrika" as director and Abdilahi Qorshe as chief editor; a former director was [Mohamed Abshir Waldo](/en/people/mohamed-abshir-waldo/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mogadishu)).

## Read more

- [State media in Somalia](/en/institutions/state-media/)
- [Media in Somalia](/en/society/media-in-somalia/)
- [Somali National Television](/en/society/somali-national-television/)
- [Somali music](/en/society/somali-music/)

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