Incumbents losing elections and graciously conceding are not what most associate with Africa, let alone Somalia. The election of former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo as the country’s ninth President upheld a rather curious, perhaps unique tradition: Somalia has never reelected an incumbent as President. In its first election following independence and unification in 1960, the popular Aden Abdullah Osman Daar was elected President. Somalia also provides an object lesson in the dangers of the ethnic mobilisation and military takeover of civilian affairs. But maybe we could learn from that waiter the value of confronting, rather than accommodating, our lying and thieving politicians.

Source: The Star February 12, 2017 22:12 UTC