By M.A. Egge
It has come to Somalilanders not as a mere surprise, but indeed a jolt that shook many when a shot piece by DET purported editor Gus Anderson completely distorted and grossly misinforms the essence, facts, status quo and situation of Somaliland is.
One might be inclined to believe that when the DET guy came to Somaliland posing as a top-notch journalist, was indeed on a mercenary mission to distort issues and had his intentions tailored to cater for the perpetual distracters of the Republic of Somaliland’s essence and aspirations.
Gus Anderson did not live to the expectations of an ethical journalist of profound calibre, but indeed behaved as a man hired to hoodwink the world by peddling falsities and tarnishing image of a thriving nation.
The piece he highlighted borders fanning discord and perpetrating more volatility given the discourse presented.
To make it even worse was the presenting of Somaliland’s Awdal region as a cut-off province.
Gus Anderson’s sentiments mimicked the Somali administration of Mogadishu who have perpetually made such rhetoric, forgetting the genocides that they perpetrated for eons in Somaliland, still playing down the fact that Somaliland and Somalia were two different countries which got different independences from two different colonial masters, namely Britain and Italy respectively.
The insinuations he made testates to his conduct akin to guns for hire and that he wasn’t in the first place bent on being true to his profession. Otherwise why would he blatantly lie about Awdal region?
Gus Anderson, landed in Hargeisa with Foreign Minister Abdirahman Adam’s blessing, camera rolling for an “exclusive” on Somaliland’s ironclad case for recognition.
He was welcomed to showcase factual truths about the nation of Somaliland: a sovereign republic since 1960, reclaimed in 1991, with elections that shame the Horn, a booming Berbera port, and alliances from Taiwan to the UAE.
His October 3 DET piece spit on that trust, peddling a warped narrative that fractures our nation into “clans” and “regions” needing his fix.
In his item he slipped in “darafyada” (factions) jargon, slicing the sovereign map to prop up separatist notions like SSC-Khatumo in Sool, echoing the tired lies of those who deny the realities of the borders.
This isn’t journalism—it’s sabotage. Somalilanders are enraged, hence the distortions and disinformation ought to be shred with the contempt they deserve.
“Clan Challenges” Lies are Insults to the national Unity
Gus urges Somalilanders to “fight fire with fire” by juggling clan representation in Awdal and the east to counter “external exploitation.” Pure nonsense. Somaliland’s strength is the national unity—woven through our 2001 constitution, not the imaginary clan quotas. The nation held dozen multiparty elections since 1991, with EU and U.S. observers calling them models of stability.
It is sad to see that the pictures presented in the item are mostly of Somaliland and not Somaliland.
Awdal’s bustling Borama markets and Zeila’s ports thrive under the system, not the invented “tensions” in the item. The call for lack of “cohesion” reeks of external agendas, amplifying voices that want the east carved up.
Redrawing Our Map is obliterating Somaliland
The piece slyly uses “sides” and “factions,” questioning the borders like they’re up for debate. Somaliland’s map was set in 1884 by colonial treaties, reclaimed in 1991, and upheld by honest cartographers—BBC maps in September 2025 showed us separate, despite Mogadishu’s tantrums. Freedom House scores us 47/100 for freedoms—miles above Somalia’s pathetic 8.
Gus, after walking through Somaliland streets, published a distorted piece that casts Sool and Sanaag as contested, feeding narratives that undermines the Ethiopia MoU for Berbera access. This isn’t reporting—it’s meddling, and it stabs at the heart of our nation-building triumph.
Questioning a Nation-Building that has surpassed expectations
He framed Somaliland’s progress as a “struggle” needing foreign wisdom.
The country is a successful one: $442M DP World investment in Berbera, Taiwan’s tech partnerships, and U.S. GOP support from Adam’s May 2025 D.C. visit. No al-Shabaab menace, no banditry.
The “representation” fix is a veiled push to fracture the nation, smirking of ulterior motives by Gus Anderson.
Gus, was expected NOT to rewrite Somaliland’s story—but to tell it as it were.
Somaliland stands tall—its flag flying freely, with stability and unity its basic foundation.
The article has to be scoffed at with the contempt in deserves.
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