London (SD) – Somali independence week has long been a wedge issue among Somalis in both Somaliland and Somalia, the week should have been celebrated for the great achievement that it is, but it has not been for the past 31 years. As we all know, Somaliland celebrated independence from Britain on June 26, 1960, while Somalia commemorated both June 26 and July 1st for both independence from Italy and the unification between the north and the south.

The Somali independence week divisions are led by the old guard, who have been on a path to disunity since the collapse of the Somali republic in 1991, is it time for the younger generation to take a lead on these discussions?

We put this and other questions to Mohamed Warsame an academic, a writer and a poet, Mohamed lives in UK and Guled Ahmed Jama a human rights lawyer in Hargeisa