How Somaliland's Leaders Can Unite or Divide the Country

By: Yusuf Habiib Hussein (Seer)

There is a high possibility that the kind of discourse among the people of Somaliland, will mirror the tapestry of views, priorities, and challenges that shape the national landscape. Imagine a scenario where three distinct groups are engaged in conversations that, at first glance, seem to diverge very far in focus and intentions. Now the first group focuses its energy on discussing projects, economic growth, national development. The second, the one which seamlessly flows into the dynamics of elections and change in politics, is the group that honestly believes that if their party wins, great transformation will come. And the third one, on defense: discussing how to defend the homes from threat, procure weapons, and fund some self-defense-resistant army for their clan.

The role of a great leader can, out of such divergent discourse, put these seemingly divergent groups together toward a shared aspiration for a cohesive national vision embracing development, political stability, and security in Somaliland.

The first and second groups, although contrastingly different in their immediately identifiable concerns, share a deeply held belief in progress and change. The leader can bridge this gap by emphasizing the intrinsic link between economic development and political stability. It means that he appeals to their aspirations by advocating for such policies that guarantee sustainable economic growth, job creation, and infrastructure development. At the same time, he would convince the second group by highlighting the fact that the success of all such economic initiatives is contingent upon a stable political environment.

One of the key approaches would therefore be that of engaging inclusively within platforms where both groups undertake dialogues as well as being part of decision-making processes. The national development plans need to provide a clear road-map of the timelines and the measures of accountability, hence bringing about changes within the political arena to remain relevant with the long-term economic objectives. Such an approach not only helps gain trust but also allows for having a feeling of togetherness in taking responsibility and ownership of progress towards growing a nation.

Insecurity and lack of safety form the substrate upon which this third group, whose focus is tilted towards defense and self-protection, anchors its platform. First of all, the leader has to acknowledge the fears of this group as a legitimate concern and further assure them that the whole concept of secure environment forms part of the national agenda. In a proposal for all-inclusive strategy in national security, wherein defense and development are combined, the leader can make it clear that security does not stand alone, but is very critical in the matters of a prosperous and stable nation.

This may involve the provision of modernization support for national defense forces and improvement of systems for intelligence and surveillance, as well as to foster community-based security initiatives with the help of local leaders and residents. He further spells out how economic development and political stability play a key role in bringing about the decrease in the root causes of insecurity, like poverty and political unrest.

In trying to bring the different groups under one umbrella of vision, the leader must pitch a story-line that embeds all of these dimensions together in a clear, acceptable way. The narrative needs to underline the interconnections among these elements and how each group's efforts contribute to national prosperity and unity.

One of the strong vision statements could be framed with the lines of building a resilient nation, vivid economic opportunities, uphold democratic values, and making each citizen feel safe and protected. This can be communicated through public addresses, media campaigns, grassroots engagements, so that the reverberations are there within different segments of society.

Practical Steps for Unity

• Inclusive Dialogue: Establish forums for regular dialogue between representatives from all three groups. This makes it possible for mutual understanding and solving problems together.
• Integrated Policies: Design policies addressing the economy, politics, and security jointly. For instance, infrastructure projects could have provisions for community safety and local job creation.
• Leadership by Example: Demonstrate a commitment to unity by actions. Leaders should work with different community leaders in a way that shows the people collaboration is possible and it can be effective.
• Education and Awareness: Run national campaigns to sensitize citizens on the interconnectivity of their concerns and the benefit of a united approach.
• Community Engagement: Empower local communities to participate in national initiatives, ensuring development projects, political reforms, and security measures are relevant locally and enjoy local support.

Dangers of Divisive Leadership in Somaliland

In sharp contrast to a great unifying leader, a bad leader is the one who can take advantage of that situation and further exacerbate divisions between these groups at the expense of national unity and progress. A leader such as this might use the various priorities or fears among each group to his own advantage or for political gain, thus fostering an atmosphere of distrust and conflict. This has been, unfortunately, the case of the Kaah Political Party in Somaliland.

Divisive Tactics by the Leadership of the Kaah Political Party: The leadership of the Kaah Political Party has been accused of using some divisive tactics to keep grasping at power and in control. The approach to the people, far from unifying them, is often characterized by the Kaah leadership exploiting emerging fissures through capitalizing on divergent concerns among the people.

The Kaah leadership manipulates the first group by promising unrealistic and exaggerated economic gains with their support, all the time overlooking the actual foundational work for sustainability and growth. This can bring bouts of frustration and disillusionment when false hopes are given and nothing concrete materializes, giving an avenue to redirect hostility to other groups or attribute it to some inanimate factors.

While the second group plays up elections and political change, the leader and members of the Kaah Party, therefore, have regularly used the politics of fear and hate speech in attacking political opponents as a danger to the future of the nation. This tactic polarizes the electorate by deepening political divides and creates a situation of perpetual tension and hostility. Further claims have come up in which the leadership of the Kaah manipulated the electoral processes, further allowing it to stay in power and lose trust in the democracies of the nation.

The Kaah leadership may play up fears of outside enemies and internal enemies, encouraging a conventional arms race and siege mentality for the third group. In portraying themselves as the protector against these dangers, it justifies authoritarian measures and the suppression of dissent. This could further lead to increased militarization and social fragmentation as communities turn inward and suspiciously eye one another.

The strategy of the Kaah Political Party is often to turn these groups against one another, based on their fears and aspirations, as instruments of control. Providing there is economic insecurity, political instability, and a general feeling of threat, the leadership can ensure power by portraying themselves as irreplaceable. With this kind of approach, setting people apart weakens social cohesion, disrupts economic progress, and erodes democratic foundations.

How Kaah's Leadership Can Positively Use These Three Groups' Ideas

The Kaah Political Party has the opportunity to change the way it leads and make use of the ideas from these groups in diverging ways that will foster unity and greatness in Somaliland.

Such leadership of Kaah has the potential to tap into the economic aspirations of the first group through inclusive and sustainable development projects. This means creating employment opportunities by investing in infrastructure, education, and health to improve living standards is one of the main goals of the kind of leadership required. Further, this will stimulate economic growth and innovation by encouraging public-private partnerships to support small and medium enterprises.

In order to win the trust of the second group, Kaah should ensure that elections are free and fair. This will enable democratic culture and much-needed accountability, which can let people develop trust in the process. Through reforms in elections and extra efforts in dialogues with opposition parties, enhancement of the so-called political environments can be made inclusive and more stable.

For the third group, Kaah can design a comprehensive security strategy against the internal and external threats that exist. Modernization of the defense forces and community policing enhancing will improve safety and security, as earlier mentioned. Investing in conflict resolution and peacebuilding projects can lower the tide of tension and improve social cohesion.

Kaah's leadership can enunciate a common national vision that integrates the economic development, political stability, and security. Such leadership discourse may motivate citizens to unit together and work towards common goals. Cultural diversity can be celebrated, and national pride can be enhanced to foster a sense of belonging and unity among the people of Somaliland.

Finally, the ability of a great leader to unite different groups with various priorities and make them work together toward a shared goal is an expression of vision, empathy, and strategic insight. All these will be harmonized into one symphony of progress and prosperity if economic development, political stability, and security can be brought together and aligned under one shared vision. Yet these very dynamics are manipulated by the Kaah Political Party to sow division, conflict, and stagnation. However, the leadership of Kaah is to change these very tides with an inclusive, positive approach that can show Somaliland the way back to greatness and a united nation.