This performance, for it can hardly be called anything else, saw these same officials — cocooned in bulletproof vehicles and surrounded by armed guards — urging the youth and public to return to the very sands still stained with the blood of their fellow citizens. The sheer hypocrisy of this spectacle is breathtaking.
It cannot. While resources are lavished on protecting a select few, the broader population remains vulnerable to the very threats officials claim to be defying. This disparity not only undermines public trust but also provides Al-Shabab with potent propaganda material, further complicating an already dire security situation. Moreover, the psychological impact of this ill-conceived demonstration cannot be overstated.
For survivors and families of victims, the sight of grinning officials parading on the site of recent carnage must be nothing short of traumatic. However, any astute observer would see through this thin veneer to the troubling realities beneath.
Rather than addressing the root causes of instability — endemic corruption, clan-based favoritism, and the systemic weaknesses that allow groups like Al-Shabab to thrive — officials seem content to stage manage perceptions, as if terrorism can be defeated by photo opportunities and press releases. The people of Somalia deserve better than this farce. They deserve leaders who prioritize their safety over political theater, who allocate resources based on public need rather than personal protection, and who have the courage to face the harsh realities of governance in a conflict zone without resorting to dangerous pretenses of normalcy.
It is a stark reminder of the vast gulf between the governors and the governed in Somalia, a divide that Al-Shabab and other extremist groups are all too eager to exploit.
