By: Abdihakim Ahmed Ali
DAR E SALAM (Somalilandsun) – It is a common belief that history repeats itself with regular intervals of 30 odd years. But in Somaliland it seems this historical series repeats itself within three to five years, especially in the political arena. As I go around and meet people in society there are a large number of natives who are confused about political parties and leadership in Somaliland. Most are critical of every leader because not a soul fits their own criteria.
There is so much confusion in our minds concerning leadership because which is further puffed up by our media. Even at this critical stage we are not able to select our directions, indeed the majority of people in Somaliland do not know what to do. Most among the literati still take pride in stating that they are a-political. This is understandable that because of uncontrolled corruption/fraud and injustice politics has upward day by day, become a dirty expression.
A man said a leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way. He personifies the lofty ideal of leading from the front, he has his finger on the pulse of the nation, and Somaliland needs an honest and sovereign leadership. I insist on only these two qualities as my priority. I believe that this may have a personal bias based on my own experiences and knowledge. So what follows below is built on the above idea. For some of us, far more important along with an honest and sovereign leadership would be ‘left or right’, but a choice and selection we (community) have to make.
Aristotle in his 8th book ‘Politics’ stated as long ago as 350 BC that man by nature is a political animal He ridiculed the idea of people being non-political. He stated that though ‘by statement’ they can, be but actually they are not. At least they are on the receiving end of all political decisions which affect their lives every day.
By the way the country is self-declared independence remains unrecognized by the international community. And Somaliland needs to get it but with these leaders it is difficult to find our home desires, thus it is certain no one will obtain our ideas and opinion to getting recognition and the system is not real democracy that is based on our culture, unfortunate Somaliland leaders use what I called tribe system democracy (Dimuquraadiyad qabiilaysan).
Thus people should know, The stage is the same, the place is the same, the challenge is the same, the circumstances are the identical, the loyal fervor and personality of the leader are the same, what is left to be done is the same conversational of sensation. And Somaliland community is hunting the right leader. We aware the situation of Somaliland now and before, democratic system as a form of government is confused by nature. It becomes a pressure cooker when there are a large number of political parties, a coalition government and National Electronic commission, an opinionated media and no mutually agreed ethics of behavior. In successful democracies all players understand their roles, responsibilities and boundaries. They understand that overstepping a line may offer a short-term benefit but in the long run it will affect their interests as well. The performance of the stakeholders is conditioned by their long political traditions as well as the fair application of law. In Somaliland, all implement of state carry a shame of overplaying their hands whether it is the politician’s discouragement each other or the judiciary legitimizing authoritarian using the policy of necessity.
Thanks in support of your time
Abdihakim Ahmed Ali (saytuuni)
Saytuuni2004@hotmail.com
Dar es Salaam
