Issue 284

As Somaliland enters a new era of elections, the corruption and mismanagement of natural resources is still the core function of this present government. It reminds me of when Socrates was given the poisoned cup by his friendly jailer and told him, “Try to bear lightly what needs must be”. The moral of that saying is that this present government and the Guurti are already planning to give the masses the poison cup of corruption, nepotism and tribalism to destroy whatever normal election could take place.

It is has been reported lately in the news media that the president of Somaliland was touring in Europe, although he was vacationing there. Upon his return, the propaganda that his office is spreading is that the Chinese are coming to drill oil, the business and commerce of the ports will be reopened while 98% of the country is unemployed. This poisoned cup of lies and clannism, using the treasury of the Somaliland people, is used by the president to retain power for another 5 years of unemployment, underdevelopment and no future strategy to plan for the country’s productive future.

Without justice and democracy for all, no matter who the Somaliland people elect for president, the status quo will remain in place for a long time to come. It is a known fact that this president and his henchmen have impoverished the educational system, the health system and infrastructure of the country and as they dominated internally, their system of spying and corruption has become ever more powerful.

If the people have more scope, they will produce a strong civil society and effective international relations. But if the status quo continues, the civil society will not stand strong. The upcoming election is the only chance the Somaliland people have to come together to save their country from corruption and mismanagement of their future.

During this coming election, the Somaliland society must also include their demand that they elect their Senators [Guurti] and judicial judges to the Somaliland courts. It is long overdue to let the president select the Senators [Guurti] and judges who have become the extended arm of the president who enhanced his corruption and mismanagement of the country through these two branches of government. It is imperative that the Somaliland society elect their Senators and judges so that people’s business can be facilitated fairly and equitably.

Good politics can affect society, economics and foreign policy and even, perhaps, basic beliefs. But the Somaliland society has not dug itself out the roots of its troubles. With the poison cup of weak laws, dictatorship and selling their votes to the candidate who bids highest, the foundation of democracy and fair elections in Somaliland is in danger of being lost in the wind. The Somaliland society must reject from those candidates who want to buy their votes and should demand that the candidates furnish their agenda or platform in public.

This business of selling your votes must stop and if the present administration wants to buy votes, the Somaliland society must refuse and ask what future plan this administration has to continue the same domestic and foreign policy. There are a lot of different needs, domestically, such as unemployment, health, education, infrastructure, environment and immigration that are in urgent need of attention. In reality, these complex issues plaguing the country and its society defy simple solutions. There are no clear answers or obvious prescriptions, even assuming Somaliland and its people are prepared to make hard choices. However it turns out, the Somaliland society should avoid drinking from the poisoned cup and make the hard and beneficial choices for their future.

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