The problem of Somalilanders is that they expect too much of their government; they elect their incompetent and uninformed representatives on tribal motives and then, ironically, expect them to lead with efficiency, transparency and professionalism.
When the individuals we entrusted with power misbehave, abuse the power we gave them and fail to deliver the responsibilities expected from their positions, we act surprised and vent our frustration and anger on social media. Today, we are in a frenzy about expired rice; yesterday, our purported rage was at expired sugar, and the day before, it was about a discoloured cooking oil causing attacks of expulsive vomiting to casual dinners.
Each episode passed without legal action against the potential perpetrator or even a mere acknowledging response from the authorities, and the wave of condemnation and sensational lamentations on social media elapsed at nothing.
The individuals we chose know that we are not serious about our complaints because we know them, we sit with them, we are proud of them, we seek their companionship, and we entertain them by stroking their egos whenever we get the opportunity to be in their presence. Hypocrisy runs deep in our veins, and every government official has the realisation that he will not be prosecuted or held into account for their countless offences because his clan has his back. He will easily get away with the most serious crime by playing a victim to a tribal conspiracy against his tribe. And we will instantly believe and stand by him even if we are the real victims of his crime. Our intertwined hypocrisy and complacency protect the villains from indictment, enticing them to continue their transgressions with free will.
We deny that our current misfortune has always been our making. We choose the wrong people for the wrong jobs on the wrong premises; perhaps, more sadly, we lack, as a society, the capacity to tend our affairs in a reasonably efficient manner. One could say that referring to the magnitude of our problem. If our dissatisfaction with the system is genuine, we must reflect on our preferences, decisions, and attitudes towards the common interest to evaluate how much we have contributed to creating the current dysfunctional system of governance. If everyone amends their jeopardising behaviour, those exploiting the system will finally meet their deserved reckoning day in a court of law.
Author :Dr-abdikarim d hassan Bandhige@gmail.com