Osman and Hussen’s restraint offers concrete lessons for rebuilding Somali democracy

Evidence

Aspirant politicians who desire leadership must choose between two contrasting futures: a life in exile and shame or worse and its alternative of respect and refuge at home. A second lesson that the politically conscious segments of the Somali population could learn from this experience is that the resurrection of a democratic Somali state from the ashes of the civil war cannot be realized by the institutionalization of political ethnicity, the fragmentation of the country into tribal fiefdoms, incompetent political leadership, and corruption. Instead, the way back to peace, grace, and democracy is to reverse these processes and cultivate civic belonging among citizens. Further, rebuilding a Somali state that is transparent, democratic, and effective in delivering service to the population requires that competence and merit become the heart of the governance project. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 1095