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By Chris Giles, CNN Sahra Halgan returned to Somaliland from France to open the country's only music venue in the capital Hargeisa. Story highlights Somaliland is a self-declared state in east Africa Sahra Halgan is iconic for her songs about gaining statehood recognition for Somaliland (CNN) Musical icon Sahra Halgan was one of the many people who fled Somaliland after the brutal Siad Barre regime, which left the self-declared country in ruins. The capital, Hargeisa, was turned to rubble, with many public services and utilities destroyed. During the Somali conflict in the late 80s and early 90s, Halgan worked as a nurse, but was always passionate about music. The Somali National Movement (SNM) fought with government forces in the northern territories, securing control of the region in 1991. "We didn't have medicine, painkillers or antibiotics. We had nothing.

“Every nation gets the government it deserves” Somalia presidential candidates. ILLUSTRATIONS | JOHN NYAGAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP In more than three trips to Somalia over the past five years, I’ve come to rewrite my own perception of where the country is headed and it doesn’t look promising because the future of Somalia looks gloomier than at any time in post-civil war era. Despite the positive tone of my past comments of the country and much of what I often write about Somalia, especially my belief that Somalia is on the mend to recover from its horrific collapse. Regrettably on my most recent trip, I did find myself tormenting more and more about the dismal record of current cadre of leadership who are in power, not to mention those others who are vying to run the country. Just when things seem as though they can’t get any worse in Somalia, the country finds itself much worse predicament that puts everyone else on the edge. The picture is not only disturbing but rathe