"A Presidential Vote Should Be Like Ramadan: We Vote, We Fast, and Life Goes On" – A Lesson for Somalia

With less than a year to go until the 2026 elections, Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh offered a profound reminder of what democracy should look like:"A presidential vote should be like Ramadan – we vote, we fast, and life goes on."This statement is not just about Djibouti—it echoes as a call to political maturity across the entire Horn of Africa, especially Somalia.

For decades, Somalia has struggled under the weight of the clan-based 4.5 power-sharing system, which undermines true representation and excludes millions from political participation. While a small political elite benefits from this status quo, the majority of Somalis remain voiceless in determining their nation’s future.

The transition to a One Person, One Vote system is not just a democratic reform—it is a national necessity. It is the only path to restoring unity, fairness, and stability. Clan identities should not determine political power; instead, citizenship, ideas, and public service must form the foundation of leadership. This is the essence of real democracy.

Somalis today are at a crossroads. They have the opportunity to turn elections into peaceful, civic expressions of national will—just as Guelleh described. But to get there, the country must move beyond the politics of fear, manipulation, and division.

"Let the people choose" (Dadku ha doortaan) is not a slogan. It is a demand for dignity, inclusion, and a future defined not by bloodlines, but by ballots.

The time has come.The people must decide.