I want to express my sentiment about the latest issues in the country. As a Somali citizen who is currently away from the home for further education in Korea where there is the risky of the emerging Coronavirus. Though, I am far from my country, but I am mentally immersed and connected my home. Somalia had been experienced the remorse and the reprehensible legacy of the tribalism, but regrettably yet there are tremendous people who have strenuously an appetite, and curiosity for it. I am cynical about the new shrouded and blighted clan-meetings which is scrambling nowadays. I really spooked the eerily eruption of the politics which is based-on clan ragtag which these days peaked for Trojan horse. Because, the ceaseless clan-based politics fizzle outs and freaks out the gullible Somali people who were/are suffering for the last three decades. Without mentioning any specific clan, but collectively the clan-meetings which were occurring the whole country were completely and utterly defeating the uptick clan issue in the country. Because, enormous people believe that, clan umbrella is just like a talisman, but is the other way around. Because, relying on your specific clan leads into parochialism, trust me!
The flipside, Arta-Djibouti’s conference in 1999-2000 was bifurcated us into Majority and Minority clans. Since then, we believed overly that we can’t live without clannism. This iffy notion of depending on the clans divorces reality on the ground.
Naturally, meetings within or between clans is normal, but when some politicians who have vested-interest been mobilizing the clueless community under the guise of the Clan-meeting in order to conflagrate, is totally giddy-limit.
The Long-Awaited Electoral Bill encounters demoralize!
Historically, the last free and square election in Somalia was taken place in 1967-1969. Since then, the country was bestriding by military rule under iron fist. After 21 years of military rule, the country has undertaken civil-war, conflicts, religious extremism and dire situations. After successive transitional governments, Somalia becomes permanent government in 2012. After plethora of unbecoming and plight circumstances, the country is willing to apply One-man One vote election in 2020-2021. In this regard, the House of the People passed the long-awaited Electoral Law in 28/12/2019. As longest the country is applying Federal system with bicameral legislature, the bill is transferred to the Upper-house. The Upper-house reviewed the act, passed and resent to the House of the People in 08/02/2020. Again, the House of the People received the amended version of the law, and endorsed it again in 19/02/2020. And ultimately, the President has signed it in 21/02/2020.
With all these resurrecting hopes of the people who are anticipating to depart from the deep-rooted clan-politics is vanquishing by some politically and intellectually bankrupted politicians who just want to jump the seat, regardless the common-interest, irrespective the cherubic people which is totally unbe-fucking-lievable.
Ultimately, Somalia is crippled by nepotism, endemic corruption and clan cliquism. And these sticky-wicket, we cannot overcome by snap of a finger, but we need drastically for laboriousness.
Regrettably, some of us believe that, Somalia’s big fat challenges ahead can be solved through deus ex Machina, no way Jose!. Because, if every clan organizes for themselves without caring
the government, it means importuning and recalcitrant to the elected authority. If we become wanton and vociferous, I don’t think we can prevail our deep-rooted problems.
Anwar Abdifatah Bashir (Freelance Journalist/Independent Researcher and Horn of Africa Geopolitics Analyst
Email: anwarcade100@gmail.com
