Osman’s disinterest in power let him trust even those who betrayed him

Evidence

Osman’s self-confidence that he could have a good life outside politics and the presidency gave him an outlook that was in sharp contrast to most of his Somali colleagues and his African peers. Because of this attitude he was able to trust nearly all his contemporaries, even when they had deceived him or betrayed their oath. He had faith that people can reform themselves and can learn from past mistakes. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 600

Categorization

• XREF: Contrasts with the surrounding narrative of patronage and personal-gain politics rising among other Somali elites.