Somalia: Why Ilhan should use her trip to Puntland to preach rule of law

EDITORIAL | US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been touring her motherland this week, returning to Kenya, where she first fled as a refugee, and now in Somalia, her birthplace. Of course, the trip offers her a good return-to-roots experience, especially for a woman whose own inspiration to become who she is today is largely based on her life story.

But it is also good timing, coming at a time Somalia’s federal states are debating the terms of their respective Presidents. On Thursday, Ms. Omar arrived in Puntland, one of the federal states where the rumored extension of presidential polls due in January 2024 has raised temperatures. The general defense is that ongoing universal suffrage preparations need not be halted for presidential elections. And accordingly, the presidential polls may wait until all districts have readied themselves for one-person-one-vote.

This argument has led some opposition groups in Puntland to reject any possible delays. And depending on who you ask, a disagreement on presidential polls could ruin the reform for universal suffrage altogether.

Thankfully, Ms. Omar herself is a supporter of constitutionalism and rule of law. As a person whose life was initially ruined by leaders disrespecting the rule of law, and saved in places where no one is above the law; she may be better placed to give counsel to those keen on trampling on the gains Puntland has made.

Certainly, Puntland isn’t perfect, and Somali in general is a work in progress. But we hope Ms. Ilhan’s cordial ties with Puntland and Somali leaders, in general, stand her good stead to caution on what any unilateral decisions can bring the country.

Somalia wasn’t always this weak, though. It took one man thinking the law began and ended with him to destroy everything we had built for three decades. Now that our rebuilding work is underway, the lessons of the past must be clear for political leaders to avoid the very mistakes that ruined our country’s systems.

We are certain that Ms. Omar will enjoy the welcome, reminisce about the childhood she briefly enjoyed in Somalia, and reconnect with the people she shares cultural and blood ties with. But her coming to Somalia should be the inspiration we need. If there is anything we can learn from her is the never-dying resilience of the Somali people to rise from the ashes, and the ability to give the best when the opportunity arises.

Somalis have a tradition of sharing knowledge and Ms Omar’s visit is significant both as a pointer to what Somalia would have been, and what it should not be.

GAROWE ONLINE