Kenya’s Diplomatic office at Hand in Somaliland

May 8, 2019 — Hargaysa. Colonially and historically, Somaliland has very much in common with Kenya than the failed Somalia. formerly known as “the British Somaliland Protectorate,” both Kenya and Somaliland were a part of the British-administrated lands later referred to as the Commonwealth countries but Somaliland lost its status after it joined to the ill-fated union with Somalia. Kenya’s dispatch of diplomats to Hargaysa the capital of Somaliland to establish a diplomatic presence revived the shared history and alliances during the Second World War and it’s more a welcome.

It’s an honor for all Somalilanders that Malcolm X knew Somaliland’s independence, not Somalia’s, before thrown into the sewers of Mogadishu. He knew having a country of one’s own is a protection and a bird’s nest for the vulnerable folks like ours. Jews know what it means to be stateless and absence of a country they call a homeland. And we know it now. the ticking clock is no way back, for the unionist Jihadists and Pirates from Somalia need to come to their senses and sit down to the negotiation table with Somaliland because the military force has failed already. Mogadishu shouldn’t waste an hour and reckon on the Egypt’s or Turkey’s dictation. The so-called unitary country wasn’t one but two and won’t come back and it’s already gone. Let bygones be bygones.

Somaliland in aggressive search of friends and allies, has earned the respect of many countries including the EU, the UK, and the US. Kenya is the latest country to jump the bandwagon. This country’s relationship with Somaliland makes special taste to us. The two countries have historical ties that still vividly in the minds of many to remind of the possible revival of the bonds that have been weakened by the the AU’s misuse of the sacrosanctness of colonial borders because Somaliland was a British protectorate while Somalia was under Italian rule. This abstract law denied Somaliland’s right for the self-determination even though it’s not applicable. Ex-Nigerian President and Raila Odinga both African and heavyweight politicians are lobbying for the restoration of the lost independence of Somaliland.

Eleven days away from Somaliland’s 28 Anniversary of Independence, the streets of the capital Hargaysa are flying the national flag of the three colors: red at the bottom, that’s bloody era of 1980’s, 90′, white in color, that’s the stability we have now, and the top green, that’s the target of the prosperity Somaliland is fighting for. Tailors, artists, and printers began to make small flags to the western returnees of Somaliland origin and His Excellency Muse Bihi Abdi is expected to make a nationwide speech live to millions of Slanders  to all over the world while Somalia is burying their burnt-out people in a mass graves following the the self-destruction tactics of the suicide bombing games among themselves.

Somaliland gave Kenya a wonderful citizens that contributed so much to Kenyan mighty economy, military, and diplomacy. A people who are like Madeleine Albright: the father of Amina Mohamed Kenya’s Foreign Minister emigrated from Somaliland when Kenya and Somaliland were part of the same English-speaking world under one roof under unified curriculum and history. Probably, her father took school transfer from Somaliland after her grandfather found a new job in Kenya. Amina Hirsi Moge, Kenyan Billionaire didn’t forget her Somaliland roots. She visit regularly and her last visit was a Somaliland’s presidential inauguration to see the land of her forefathers. With no or little Somali language and yet she is deeply attached.

These type of people act as bridge between the two nations.

Above all, Somaliland’s late President and former Prime Minister of Somalia co-chaired the annexation of Northern Frontier District (NFD)  to Kenya. He rightly arbitrated in a favor of Kenya in what is known in “Arusha Agreement.” This brave decision turned entire Somalis against us portraying Somalilanders in negative light and in labels such as “enemy collaborators, pro-infidels, pro-Jews, and etc.” were unleashed to demonize.  The Somalis are mad at us, yelling, and insulting the grave of the brave leader. Somalilanders whose forefathers helped Kenya develop has been expecting Nairobi to defy Somalia’s whisper. Somalis were so envious of Somaliland’s God-protected stability and wished harm trying to sink the boat, but so far so good.

The arrival of Kenyan diplomatic office in Hargaysa like Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Turkey is overdue but coming late is better than never. Kenya, an honest friend and a neighbor is expected to arbitrate Somalia’s illegal claims over independent Somaliland. Mogadishu is the troublemaker by trying to annex other countries’ territories since 60’s.

We Somalilanders believe our destiny is in the palms of our hands after we gained at the gunpoint and won’t be determined by the foreign nation of failed Somalia or petrodollar influence of the DP World in Berbera. Somalis speak the same language as ours don’t entitle them to claim our country or rule over Hargaysa, never ever; as much as Israelis don’t give up their dear-won country of Israel to the UN resolutions with Arabs petrodollar lobbying that often pose to existential threat to them.

Somaliland born twice; the first time in June 26 1960 when Britain gave us the independence. Out of tragic miscalculation and ‘womanly’ love, Somaliland’s independence was sacrificed for the sake of the unity of divided Somalis across the Somali peninsula. But Somalia didn’t understand what Somaliland’s gift of independence was worth and the martyrs it lost to attain its valuable liberty and the subsequent brotherly compromise to fight for their independence wars when Italy’s banana plantation Company owned the farmlands and treated them like slaves.

UK-educated Somalilanders took the pen to the let the world know that parts of Somalia are under slavery system; influential poets from Hargaysa and Buroa helped the brothers to agitate and break the bondage they get used to and to kick out the Italians masters and landlords.

The second birth was May 18, 1991 following bloody struggle that cost the lives of 50,000 civilians demolished under roofs by air, land, and sea bombardment. This figure is just the collateral damages of the brutal campaign against one single a poor tribe, namely the northerners. Somalilanders armed to the teeth lost their lives in the military confrontations with the military brutes in Mogadishu ““Freedom isn’t free it takes folk like you and me….” but achieved their ultimate goal: to free Somaliland from the grip of brutes and tyrants.

Somaliland’s independence fell in the arms of a dictator  who had the urge to enslave his fellow citizens, and that alone broke every Somalilander’s heart.

Kenya invested in Somalia not only with hosting the largest refugees in Dadaab camp, sharing with their meager resources of food and healthcare but also with the blood of their brave soldiers to remove the religious-brutal tyranny Al-Shabab that held Somalis hostage for decades. Ungrateful to Kenya—they appreciated Arabs’ funding to terror infrastructure of the small Madrasa—they responded only with jihad invasions on shopping malls, colleges, and schools cowardly running from Kenyan forces. They were patient with Somalis that they one day put their house in order like Somaliland but not yet. What they call  ” a leadership” in Somalia view the international relations a kind of feeding an amputated child. They want the world to clean their shit  while sitting on couches drinking a Somali tea and cursing Somaliland ” as Somali-haters, Muslim-haters, Turkish-haters, and etc.” they live in ideal upcoming caliphate of twin basics: eating dates with seawater. It’s a great delusion.

Now, Kenya turned their attention to functioning democracy and vibrant economy to work with. Though they regret the huge investment whose dividends turned out Kenyan tragedies, they never bashed the hapless Somalia lest an evil eye or out of decency unlike Uganda “If you are angry and you are aggressive, you ask for permission and we deploy you to Somalia.” Criminals and Jihadists from Mexico to Pakistan are exiled to Somalia to kill what’s viewed ‘the worthless’ humans globally. However, Somaliland chose a different pathway to its future than terror and chaos by exercising self-reliance and self-dependency without waiting the world to feed.