Basically the clan has an "informal understanding" about what constitutes "order."
Even a clan like Marehan, for instance, that may have possible showdowns of its own coming up due to the sheer resentment towards certain pro-Ahmed Madoobe MPs standing for reelection WILL MOST LIKELY NOT lead to discontent because INTERNALLY the clan is almost unanimously on one side of the issue.
What is going on in Habar Gidir is GENERATIONALLY unique situation.
It is rare that a clan has such an INTENSE internal disagreement about what constitutes leadership hierarchy which brings a level of COMPETITION to HG that I have certainly not seen in any other Somali clan at least within the last two elections since the end of transition.
If it could not get more competitive, in comes XAAF declaring bid for Qaybdeed's Senate seat.
This type of challenge IS NEVER done in Somali clan culture.
1. Xaaf and Qaybdeed are elder statesman of their Sacad clan. The clan's unity is dependent on their PUBLIC cooperation not competition.
2. The price of failure IS STEEP. Total and utter risk to stature, relevance, and basic standing in their clan. This isn always a great deterrent to challengers.
3. Finally, BAD BLOOD is 100% part of the outcome. Even if you win, wr are a segmentary lineage system. If your win comes at the expense of another segment of your base, it is a hollow victory.
https://www.gedotimes.com/2021/06/17/da ... ga-hiilin/
But Xaaf has done it and his clan today is probably not happy. Even more than that, it speaks to a larger dynamic within Habar Gidir that is showing warning signs of serious internal disruption brimming under the surface within the clan.
I have decided not to comment about the election and/or strategies (how do you like failing so badly to get my lips moving btw---yes, you ), but this is a general pay attention to something interesting there.
