We need to take a step back and examine this situation with a less hate-fueled perspective. Why did the Darod clan seem to have a weaker hold on the federal government compared to the Hawiye?
There is a lack of unity within the clan. At the onset of the civil war, the clan itself was divided. Initially, it was between the loyalists and the SSDF, then further fragmented into different sub-clan militia groups, each with radically different goals.
The Darods were not the only ones facing internal divisions; the Hawiye also experienced splits. Many overlook the infighting between the Abgaal-led faction and the Habr-Gidir-led faction, which reached enormous proportions, resulting in stories of cousins killing their uncles.
As we know, the Majerteen-Abgaal faction emerged as the closest thing to a "winner" of the civil war, meaning founding the transitional federal government. However, the challenge arose when Abdullahi Yusuf and other Majerteens couldn't garner compliance from the other Darods. Dhulbahante and Marehan still aimed to reinstate the Kaacan regime under a different leader, while Ogaden committed atrocities in SWS and had given their support behind Aideed.
This failure provided an opportunity for the ICU to emerge. People tend to forget the significant impact of the ICU's short but influential rule. From Hiiraan to Afmadow, they were generally well-received. The ICU, operating under Islamic rules, facilitated reconciliation between clans, empowered minorities, and allowed disadvantaged individuals to seek blood money. Clans under the ICU experienced the closest semblance to reconciliation in Somalia.
Factor in the existential fear from the Isaaq, lingering historical animosity from the Raxanwein due to the massive hunger campaign under Siad Barre and the terror of SPM, improved reconciliation within the Hawiye and southern Somali clans in general, the distance between southern and northern Daroods, and its obivous why the current selection system favours the Hawiye.
Furthermore, while it might be considered blasphemous for Somalis, Abdullahi Yusuf's presidency in the entire south was perceived as the worst in the post-Kacaan era. The invitation of Ethiopian troops, the invitation of Amisom, and the atrocities committed by the then-SNA, essentially hired warlords, left a stain on north darods from a southern perspective. It's crucial his reign negatively impacted the Marehan and Ogaden just as much as the other southern clans.
The way out of this quagmire could involve implementing a one-man-one-vote system and having a more competent leader, akin to "Farmajo," to lead the nation this time. With Madobe siding with HSM, Marehan putting their lot in, and losing with Farmajo, and general apathy from the government to recognize SSC as a valid federal state, leave the clan to divide to make a unified bid for the presidency. HSM has had enough chips in his armor to make a unified bid against him be very effective.
But from the way the cards are arranged I don't see that happening very soon.
Edit: When I mean Farmajo, I meant someone using nationalist-populist rhetoric. The Isaaq vote is lost by default, but Raxanwein and sections of Hawiye could still very well be persuaded. It'd be easier under one-man-one-vote, but still far from impossible under the current system.
as we speak. Writing comments online or being isolationist won’t change much. In fact, they latter will harm u long term.
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