Op-Ed: Somaliland - Justice Cannot Be a Business

A nation cannot grow when courts become businesses, when cases become investments, and when justice is delayed until injustice becomes normal. Today, too many ordinary citizens feel that the legal system no longer protects the weak. Instead, many people believe the system rewards delay, influence, connections, and money. When people lose trust in the courts, they slowly lose trust in the state itself. The Story That Says Everything There is an old story that perfectly explains this crisis. A judge's son graduated from university and proudly started working in the court system as a junior judge. One day, excited and proud, he went to his father and said: "Father, guess what? I solved a case that had been going on for 20 years. I finished it in less than one year." The young man expected praise. But instead, his father became angry and replied: "My son, that case was feeding this family since before you were a child. That case paid for your food, your clothes, and your education. And now you are proudly telling me you solved it?" Whether this story is true or not, many Somaliland citizens feel its meaning is true. This is the dangerous point we have reached as a society. When justice becomes a source of income instead of a source of truth, corruption becomes institutionalized. Honest citizens become hopeless. Businesses stop trusting the system. Investors stay away. Families suffer for years waiting for decisions. The poor become invisible. And powerful people become untouchable. Mr. President Mr. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, history will not remember speeches. History will remember whether your administration had the courage to reform the justice system. Real reform means: 1Fast and transparent courts 2Accountability for corruption 3Merit-based appointments 4Protection for ordinary citizens 5Digital tracking of cases 6Independent judicial oversight 7Equal justice for rich and poor No country can become strong while injustice becomes routine. Somaliland deserves courts that deliver justice — not endless delay, influence, and silent suffering. Justice is the foundation of peace. Without justice, stability itself becomes temporary. Written by:  Ismail  Ahmed— KULI Global ismail@kuli.global | kuli.global The views expressed in this article are solely those from the author and do not reflect the views and editorial policy of Horn Observer