Colonial powers politicized Somali genealogy to divide the community

Evidence

The SYL was not well prepared to undertake such a monumental responsibility, given the low education and general poverty of the population. The only asset at its disposal was the common heritage of the population. Unfortunately, one element in Somali culture, genealogical division, could be manipulated to undermine social cohesion of the people. The politicization of genealogy was already under way as the colonial authorities divided the Somali community into various subject groups. Successfully challenging this legacy required an organization and leadership committed to such an agenda. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 418

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 418