C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D PAT R I O T I S M

PRACTICE

CHAPTER 2: Citizenship

By
Ahmed-Nor Mohamed Abdi
 Specific Learning Outcomes
By the end of the chapter, Student will be able
to:
 Describe qualities of a good citizen
 Outline duties of a good citizen
 Identify obstacles to good citizenship

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 Definition of Citizen
 A citizen is a member of state who enjoys all the rights
and privileges granted by the state.
 He or she performs duties and obligations towards the
state and other institutions within it.
 A citizen has a mutual relationship with the state.
 The state guarantees a citizen liberty, rights and
freedoms and, in return, a citizen is obligated to take
part in the civic and political processes of the state.

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Legal and Moral Aspects of Citizenship
Legal Aspects
 A citizen is recognised by law and his or her rights
are enshrined in the laws of the land.
 Every citizen has the protection of the state
whether at home or abroad.
 He or she is provided with opportunities for the
lawful enjoyment of his or her freedom, property and
political rights.
 A citizen who fails to comply with the legal aspects
of citizenship is liable for prosecution.

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Moral Aspects
 The moral aspects of citizenship acknowledge the
value of self-discipline and self- control.
 A morally upright citizen has a sense of responsibility
to fulfil all his or her obligations to the state and the
various social groups that he or she belongs to.
 He or she is not only responsible to his or her family
but also to the community and the state.
 While a citizen receives all that is necessary to equip
himself or herself as a citizen, he or she should be
ready to give back to the community to promote
general happiness and common well-being of the
people.
 However, a citizen who does not comply with the
moral aspects of citizenship is not liable for
prosecution. 5
 Alien
 An alien is a person living in a country which is
not his or her own.
 An alien, although resident in one country, owes
allegiance to another. For example, a Somalis living
and working in Kenya still owes loyalty to Somali.
 Aliens enjoy civil but not political rights.
 For instance, an alien cannot take part in voting
for leaders in the country of residence.
 An alien does not always have complete freedom
to acquire or sell land or property, but is required
to obey the laws of the state in which he or she
lives.
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 An alien may be deported from the host state for
misconduct or for committing a serious crime
 On the other hand, an alien owes no duty to the host
country. He or she may pay taxes as stipulated by the
laws of the land but is not duty bound to the state.
 For example, if war broke out in the host country an
alien is not duty bound to take up arms to defend the
state. Immigration laws of a country govern entry and
status of aliens in the host country.

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 Qualities of a Good Citizen
The following are some of the qualities of a
good citizen.
 Living up to democratic principles: This requires
the willingness to participate in the affairs of
the state such as exercising the right to vote
 Contribution to national development. This is the
readiness to render every kind of service to
the nation.
 Self-control: This is the ability to restrain
oneself from doing bad things.
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 Courage: This is the strength to stand up for one’s
convictions when conscience demands it.
 Respect for law: This is the willingness to abide by
laws, even when one may not be in complete
agreement. It is the willingness to work through
peaceful, legal means to change unjust laws.
 Perseverance: This is the willingness to work under
difficult circumstances in order to accomplish
worthwhile goals.

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 Empathy: Having concern or compassion for the
well-being of others, especially for the vulnerable
in society.
 Patriotism: This involves a sense of love and
loyalty to the state by observing the values and
principles of one’s country

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 Duties and Responsibilities of a Citizen
The Chapter 2 of the provisional Somali constitution
stipulates the duties and rights of the Somali Citizens.
Article 42 outlines the duties of a Somalian citizen.
It states that it is the duty of every citizen to:
(a) To be patriotic and loyal to the country and to
promote its development and well-being;
(b) To engage in useful work for the good of the
citizen, the family, and the common good, and to
contribute to national development and to the well-
being of the community where the citizen lives;
(c) To promote responsible parenthood;

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(d) To foster national unity in harmony with
others;
(e) To promote accountability and the rule of law;
(f) To become acquainted with the provisions of
the Constitution and to uphold and defend the
Constitution and the law of the country;;
(g) To strive to vote in elections;;
(h) To become a good tax-payer in order to contribute
to the public expenditure according to the law and the
citizens capacity to pay;; and
(i) To defend the territory of the Federal Republic of
Somalia.

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 Personal Responsibilities:
 Taking care of oneself.
 Supporting one’s family.
 Adhering to morals, principles and values of
one’s society.
 Respecting the rights and interests of
others.

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Civic Responsibilities or duties
The responsibilities or duties of a citizen include the
following:
 Obeying the law.

 Paying taxes.

 Respecting the rights of others.

 Being concerned about public issues.

 Participating in civic activities such as voting.

 Performing public service.

 Observing and maintaining the security of the nation.

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Other civic responsibilities
1. Be Informed
- Know what the government is doing so
that you can voice your opinion.

- People can learn about issues and leaders

by reading print publications, listening to
news on the radio or T.V., talking o people,
and searching the internet

- Be aware of your rights

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2. Speak Up and Vote
- Remember, the government exists to
serve you, but you must make your
concerns known.

- Calling, writing, or sending e-mails to

your elected representatives; joining
political parties; working for a cause

- VOTE

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3. Respect Other’s Rights
- people must respect public property and
the property of others.

- vandalizing and littering are not only

disrespectful but also a crime.

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4. Respect Diversity
- Although we may disagree with people or
disapprove of their lifestyles, these people
have an equal right to their beliefs and
practices

- Tolerance means respecting and

accepting others, regardless of their beliefs,
practices, or differences.

- Diversity in our country is a strength, all

citizens are equal and entitled to be
treated the same.
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5. Contribute to the Common Good
- Contributing time, effort, and money
to help others and to improve the
community life.

- Be an active participant in your

community

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Obstacles to Good Citizenship
(a) Indifference:
 When citizens are indifferent to their rights and
duties and are too concerned with their personal
safety and security, democracy cannot thrive.
 Everyone is only interested in what they can get for
themselves from the start at the expense of other
citizens.
(b) Self interest:
An individual who is motivated by self-interest avoids
public responsibilities or simply ignores the general
welfare of his or her society.
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(c) Allegiance to political parties:
 Though it is accepted that a multi- party
system is essential for democracy, a bad
citizen may put the interests of a political
party he or she is affiliated to above
national interests.
 Total allegiance to a political party blinds
its members to their allegiance to the
whole nation.
(d)Poverty:
A poor citizen is not interested in national
issues. He or she cannot take an active part in
the affairs of the nation. 21
Such a citizen is often preoccupied with finding the
means of survival.
Poverty often makes some citizens to engage in
anti-social activities such as theft, cheating, and
voter apathy.

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(e) Ignorance:
An un-informed or ignorant person often fails to
differentiate between wrong and right.
This prevents such a citizen from making full
contribution to national development.
(f) Defects in the electoral system:
If large sections of society are unrepresented in the
electoral system, this can make them lose interest in
the affairs of the state as they may not feel a sense
of belonging.

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(g) Reports of corruption in the media:
Print and electronic media such as newspapers,
radio, television, internet may twist the truth and
misinform the public to such an extent that
citizens are not able to assess issues
knowledgeably and correctly.

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(h) The complex nature of modern society:
In many cases, individuals today belong not to
citizenship based on national borders but also to
other forms of citizenship that transcend national
boundaries such as religion or environmental
concerns.
Thus, it may be difficult to harmonise interests of
one citizenship with those of another.

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