Somali citizens felt free to confront their leaders with demands

Evidence

Overall, Hussen’s national tour was a smashing success in galvanizing the population. It certainly demonstrated Hussen’s charismatic capacity to connect with the population and the open and intimidation-free relations between the population and the leadership of the republic. The democratic bond between the population and the leaders was best manifested by one instance during the visit. This was reported by the UN Development Programme representative in Somalia who traveled with the prime minister: … Throughout the tours, the Prime Minister was warmly and enthusiastically received by both the population and local officials. At some point, in a typical Somali fashion, local chiefs gave the head of Government a difficult time with their insistent demands for more and better schools, dispensaries, water supplies and roads. On one occasion, reported by Mr. Habib Ahmed, the UNDP Representative here, who was with the Prime Minister through most of the tour, a local chief demanded that Abdirazak [Hussen] put down a glass of water he was about to sip, asking how could he enjoy the luxury when the local people had nothing to drink but brackish water. The Prime Minister complied with the demand. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 916