Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation—specifically responsible for East African Community (EAC) affairs—Hon. Ali Omar, has delivered a stunning and humiliating admission: Somalia’s representatives to the EAC were rejected because the federal government violated the basic, mandatory rules governing the election of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) members.
Before proceeding, it is essential to state unequivocally that the certified nine nominees are not the problem.
They are capable, experienced, and respectable individuals. However, the nefarious political strategy of the federal leadership dragged them into an entirely avoidable mess, compromising their reputations and placing them at the center of a scandal they did not create.
The process—rotten from the beginning—is now under a microscope, and the nine individuals have become the unfair face of the controversy.
The blame lies squarely with federal government officials who deliberately corrupted the election process, manipulating it openly and recklessly, and exposing Somalia to regional repudiation. Officials within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs knew the rules, knew the precedents, and knew the risks—but chose silence and proceeded dishonestly and corruptly.
As a result, Somalia replicated the worst practices of the most troubled EAC members—such as South Sudan, whose illegal appointments were rejected, and the DRC, which remains entangled in an unresolved election crisis. Somalia has now joined this list of embarrassment: its representatives were rejected and sent back.
Instead of entering the EAC with dignity and competence, Somalia joined with amateurism, confusion, and public disparagement—gaining nothing in the foreseeable future. These failures are entirely self-inflicted.
4.5 Clan Formula Is Not a License for Fraud
The government frequently hides behind the 4.5 clan formula as justification for unorthodox political representation. But even 4.5 requires basic principles:
•Fairness
•Transparency
•Competition
•Integrity
None of these were met.
The leadership persisted with corrupt practices—fraud, abuse of power, and bad governance. Months before the parliamentary election, the names of the nine were already publicly circulating—not as potential contenders, but as pre-anointed winners.
One of the biggest scandals in Somali politics is that five top leaders have effectively colluded and appointed themselves as the sole authorities capable of deciding who from their respective clans receives public positions. These five leaders are:
•The President
•The Speaker of the Lower House
•The Speaker of the Upper House
•The Prime Minister
•The Minister of Education/Higher Education (or First Deputy Speaker of the Lower House)
No law gives them this supreme authority. This is not power-sharing; it is political monopolisation.
Four Shameful Failures That Destroyed Somalia’s Legitimacy in the EAC
1. Total Ignorance of EAC Rules
Somalia joined the EAC without professionally studying or evaluating the core accession requirements, nor comparing them against the actual institutional realities of the Somali state. The government simply did not meet the conditions.
2. No Post-Accession Preparation
After the premature accession—for reasons that require serious investigation—no legal alignment, institutional preparation, or operational planning was undertaken. No effort was made to close the massive gaps necessary for proper integration into the EAC.
3. Presidential Interference
President Hassan Sheikh personally took over the accession process—an area that constitutionally belongs to the Council of Ministers. He delayed the election of representatives for months in order to control the process, use it for political bargaining, and distribute patronage in exchange for loyalty.
He rejected expert guidance that could have ensured legitimacy and reduced politicisation.
4. A Publicly Manipulated and Shameless Election Exercise
The candidacy and election process was squeezed into one week, although the outcome had been publicly known for more than six months. Eligible participants who followed the published guidelines and paid the required fees were brazenly excluded. Public complaints were ignored.
These actions forced disadvantaged candidates to petition the EAC Court—resulting in the suspension of the swearing-in of the nine nominees.
The entire exercise became a political fiasco.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Failed the Nation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation failed in its basic duties:
•It did not protect Somalia’s national interests.
•It did not ensure compliance with EAC law.
•It did not uphold Somalia’s national dignity.
This is not a minor bureaucratic error—it is a national humiliation.
Long-Term Damage to Somalia
Because of this reckless mismanagement:
•Somalia’s EAC membership begins stained with illegitimacy and paralysis.
•Regional trust in Somalia’s capacity, integrity, and seriousness has eroded further.
•The country will spend years repairing damage that should never have occurred.
Somalia deserved a planned, thoughtful, and professionally executed entry into the EAC. Instead, the federal leadership treated it as a political trophy—producing scandal, humiliation, and a self-inflicted diplomatic wound.
Serious states pursue national goals through analysis, evaluation, prudence, and a commitment to the public interest—not through gimmicks, patronage, or hollow claims of fictitious progress.
Source: insidesomalia.net
