Mogadishu – Dr. Abdirahman Baadiyow, a prominent Somali intellectual and political analyst, has issued a strong message to Somali politicians currently involved in the formation of political parties. He urged them to study the history of Somalia’s former political movements—particularly the Somali Youth League (SYL) and the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP)—to avoid repeating past mistakes that led to political collapse.
1. The SYL (Somali Youth League):
According to Dr. Baadiyow, the SYL began as a pro-independence movement, advocating for Somali unity and sovereignty. However, it eventually evolved into a single-party regime, eliminating all other parties. This monopolization of power directly contributed to the 1969 military coup, with Abdirizak Haji Hussein being one of the few leaders who opposed this trajectory.
2. The SRSP (Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party):
Dr. Baadiyow highlighted the need to understand how the SRSP was formed, what political environment it created, and how it eventually led the country toward autocracy and state collapse. The party centralized power, suppressed opposition, and eroded democratic institutions.
He called on today’s youth and political leaders to avoid being distracted by labels and slogans and instead focus on the foundations, structure, and national purpose of political parties. Without this depth of understanding, Somalia risks repeating the very same cycles that led to dictatorship, instability, and eventual state failure.
– RNN Somali TV
Political Affairs & Historical Insight Division