Kenya is key to Somali-land recognition

Kenya’s role in Africa should not be underestimated, since one party State Kenya has remained a force to be reckoned with in Africa. Moi through his well-articulated leadership had many enemies as well as friends in same measure. Moi was pro West and had support from United States for standing with the West in era of cold war. It was during Moi era that Nairobi mooted the birth of democratic Somalia and Southern Sudan. In recent years, Kenya has grown more popular outside the East Africa States. Kenya’s popularity has come with equal benefits through the leadership of Kenyatta. Somali’s UN backed government operated from Nairobi before eventually moving to Mogadishu. Kenya babied Somalia from the word go and it remains committed to see a peaceful neighbor for many years to come.

It is against this backdrop that I argue Kenyatta government can moot recognition of self-declared Somali-land. Kenyatta has a respected voice in African Union as well as the entire world. Somali-land, against all odds, declared its independence in 1991 after the fall of Said Barre. This self-determined breakaway State is not imposed by any major power or global elites, it merely followed through the status it had on June 26, 1960, after receiving independence from British colonial rule. It should be understood that Somaliland was recognized by the United Nations, United States and 35 other countries as an independent State until it voluntarily joined former UN Trust territory of Somalia on July 1, 1960. Somaliland is a unique self-created democracy that has held general elections, where the losers have accepted defeat and instead of fighting have formed a strong nation that has a strong stand against radicalization. It is time for the world to invest in this nation.