On
Saturday Somalia elected Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed as its new
president. Many analysts say Ahmed has a real daunting task of reuniting Somalis, but some say as a moderate he may have a better chance of bringing stability to the
country.
Abdullahi Abdulkadir Mohamed
is a professor Arabic Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He told VOA’s
Akwei Thompson this is a great time for Sheikh Ahmed to create a comprehensive and inclusive government, bringing together all the different
factions including, Somalis in the Diaspora, and even those who were defeated
in the elections on Friday night.
Professor Mohamed said Sheikh
Ahmed should find it easier to deal with the Somali piracy problem because there
are reports that people in areas perceived to be strongholds of the pirates
voted in large numbers for him.
He said with the support of
the international community Sheikh Ahmed has the chance to make Somalia a
secure and peaceful country.