Some Somalis danced in the streets of central Mogadishu to welcome their prime minister Friday, while others across town threw stones at the Ethiopian troops who brought him to the capital. Divisions over clan, politics and power have been the bane of Somalia. Whether the next chapter is one of unity and peace is the test for Somali leaders and their international backers as they try for the 14th time to form an effective government since the last one collapsed in 1991.Since then, Somalia has become the archetype of the failed state, beset by anarchy, famine and a steady influx of weapons from abroad. And nowhere in the country has the competition for power and privilege brought more destruction than the pockmarked streets of Mogadishu.
There are dozens of clan factions in the capital, each making demands on the government and each a potential spoiler, capable of extreme violence if ignored. Alliances can also shift dramatically in just a few city blocks, depending on which clan controls the street. Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi said Friday that he would try to unite the city’s disparate clan leaders. “In the coming days I will visit every corner of the city,” he said.
But he acknowledged that he will need the support of Ethiopian troops for some time to come. “They will stay until we agree to send them back to their country and this depends on the stability of Somalia,” Gedi added.