Solving the problems of Somalia will not be under meager governments

By Shabani Mwalimu*

A Somali presidential poll was held on 8 February 2017 in an airport hangar at Aden Adde International Airport, Mogadishu. The Parliamentarians elected former Mohamed Abdullah ‘Farmanjo’ Mohamed (former Prime Minister of Somalia in 2011 to 2015 and founder of the Tayo Political wing/party). Mohamed won the election with 184 votes out of a total of 328.  In what has  was described as a peaceful transition of power after the incumbent president conceded defeat and congratulated Farmanjo, the election is seen as an attempt toward achieving a lasting solution to many problems facing Somalia which include war, poverty and corruption. This is the ninth election held in as a war–ravaged country.

Created in 1960 from a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia plunged into a civil war following the overthrow of the military regime of Dictator Major General Siad Barre in 1991 who ruled the country for more than 20 years.

In the coup, Barre's Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party was removed from power by a coalition of militant opposition groups among the militia the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), United Somali Congress (USC), Somali National Movement (SNM) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM.  The non-violent political groups also took a hand in coup.

After the overthrow of Barre and seizure of power by Ali Mahdi Muhammad whose authority was only in the Capital Mogadishu, the clashes between warlords over the control of Mogadishu emerged. Ali Mahdi Muhammad and General Mohamed Farah Aidid clashed over power, hence civil war gained momentum as the country tore into clan-based fiefdoms and the two relatively peaceful northern regions of Somaliland and Punt land effectively broke away. The situation got attention internationally where the US under the so called humanitarian aid sent approximately 30,000 troops in Somalia in ‘operation restore hope’. This militant operation was to bring ‘order’ in the war torn country.

In 2006, having taking the control of Mogadishu and other southern parts of Somalia the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) worked to bring some law and order based on implementing the Shariah of Allah Azza Wa Jalla. And 2007 backed by American support, Ethiopian and African Union troops invaded Somalia and dismantled the UIC and as result, a Transitional Federal Government Backed by theUnited Nations, the African Union, as well as theUnited States, was formed. This government battled Al-Shabaab an offshoot of theIslamic Courts Union (ICU), which splintered into several smaller factions. Newly elected president comes as Somalia  a country which  occupies a very strategic position along the Indian Ocean having the longest coastline in Africa running 2,720 km (1,700 miles) remains in crises. Currently the biting hunger which risks the lives of over 5 million Somalis. The refugee problem which put 5 million refugees at risk of hunger and disease as the Kenya Government in coordination with United Nations is attempting to close the Daadab. These problems will remain unresolved in the newly elected puppet regime.

Like his predecessor Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, Farmanjo will inherit and execute the same vicious plans laid by the Western powers particularly the US. His statement “This victory represents the interest of the Somali people. This victory belongs to Somali people, and this is the beginning of the era of the unity, the democracy of Somalia and the beginning of the fight against corruption,” Farmajo is openly lying into Muslim umma generally and Somali Muslims specifically as he was brought up and recruited by the US to facilitate and push the US evil agenda in Somalia. Notably, under the disguise of fighting terror America and her allies continue to plunder the resources.

Like any other Muslim land, Somalia will continue facing long standing problems which comes as a result of loyalty of Muslim leaders to their western masters. Many of the conflicts in the entire Muslim land are directly resulting from foreign influence and intervention. Since the Muslim world is led by western backed rulers, the ummah is in turmoil. And since there is no Khilafah "Caliphate" – an independent government then the crises in Somalia and the rest of the World will persist. It is the Khilafah "Caliphate" implementing the divined laws the affairs of the ummah will be resolved once and for all.

* Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Kenya

* Written for Ar-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 117