Jan 31 2009
Somalia: Making its comeback
After having no central government since 1991, Somalia’s parliment is finally electing a president for the war-torn country. There are 14 candidates running for the position. This might be Somalia’s comback from a violent nation to a more peaceful one.
And in true African form … Somalia is also making a comeback in our favorite sport — soccer (football). In the 1980s, Somali football was very popular. And its Stadium Mogadishu was one of the best on the continent. Over the past two years, the stadium has been home for Ethiopian soliders, who have sought to bring order to a country that has been racked with incessant civil wars since it’s last government (a dictatorship) was overthrown in 1991. The football/soccer league stayed active and intact until 2006, but the Somali football Federation is bringing it back together — recruiting players from all over the country, as well as the Diaspora. They had their first victory (1-0) over Tanzinia while vying for the Cecafa Cup.
