A New Era Dawns Upon Somalia

Newly elected President Mohamud. Image credits - Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP

After over 40 years, Somalia has successfully elected a new president in its own soil. The new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has won with an outstanding 190 votes against 79 for the outgoing president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The victory margin which portrays Mohamud as a clear favorite, also shows that the parliamentarians voted for a change of direction. It sends a strong message that Somalis want to move beyond the days of corrupt, clan-dominated governments to a more effective leadership.

"I congratulate all Somalis. The people are taking a new direction. You are now ending the difficult path and taking a new one," Mohamud said as people cheered around him.

There have been several attempts at electing a Somali president before, each attempt raising people’s hopes that this time things will work out, only to have rival clans and disgruntled factions seek to destabilize the new government for their own interests. The new president will certainly have to fight old and new power interests; people who have spent years and money carving power bases for themselves only to see a fresh face take the highest seat in government. He will have to try to succeed in fighting corruption and piracy where others have failed, and also keep the bigger picture in mind when it comes to dealing with all the foreign interests that have staked so much in Somalia as they try to pull him toward their own causes.

That is why like most Somalis, I am optimistic and pray this time it works out for the good of the nation and its people. But as a realist, I’m also cautious not to put all my hopes in one basket and lose faith with the slightest bump in what is sure to be a rough road for our nation.

But for now, as this new era dawns upon us, there remains a glimmer of hope and we should all try to do our part to improve things, even if it’s as simple as a short prayer.