My people every where are walking on their heads rather on the legs! (Opinion: Ali-barre Jama)
The former President of Puntland, Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamoud-Farole in his thought provoking article touched many past important events and processes,which was aiming to reinstitutethe fragmented Somalia as a nation state, thatcan take due place in the family of civilized nations. Nevertheless,I felt the need to connect the thread where president Faroleleft and suggest the way forward. What I mean is that, president Farole provided us long chronicle of events that Somalia has undergone since Djibouti Conference of 2000 and cited characters and personalities involved at every stage, however did not make proposal after 2016.
Although President farole worked closely with both Hassan Sheikh and Sheikh Sharif, and knows very well about these men’scognitive better than any other person, one thing, however, I challenge with him is that,the similarity he sketched between the tow leaders. For instance, Sheikh Sharif was the executive leader of the union of courts in 2007-2008. He fought for what he believed, and when Ethiopian forces unleashed their offensive relentlessly he retreated withother fighters to Badda-madow,West of Kismayo, the last strong hold of the Union of Courts. Later on, he arrived secret agreement with the Americans, Jundiai Frazer, and OuldAbdalla the General Secretary Envoy to Somalia, and in a night he was flown to Nairobi denouncing the cause he regarded sacrosanct and suffered a lot for it. From there, he dashed to Asmara, Eritrea to establish RSA together with hardline Islamist elements regrouping themselves-let your imagination whirl-and returned to Djibouti where a Somali conference was underway to contest Presidential race. Apparently OuldAbdalla gave little thought into providing leverage to Sheikh Sharif to hand pick about 275 more MPS single handedly, which cause him to garn absolute majority in the election. Moreover, in an ingenious move, when small group called Alla-sheikh emerged in his government he wisely and hastily disowned them to clear his name once and for all.
If you carefully digest the above critical circumstancesSheikh Sharif managed to surmount, you will clearly concur that the political maneuvers of President Sharif deserves applause. For notwithstanding his little academic background and political experience he took heed street-talk and the anxiety of the people. He shrewdly read the situation and took due advantage at every stage. He was, and perhaps still is, ambitious like Julius Caesar. It is true that Sharif resisted founding the Jubba land State for his own reason; however when his PM at the time consented the establishment of Jubba land he had not come forward hurriedly to nullify the PM’s stance like Hassan Sheikh did when Prime MinisterAbdiweli carried a minor shuffle in his government and touched perhaps politically untouchable figures.
On the other hand, the current President of Somalia Mr. Hassan Sheikh and more often other officials in his government’s stances do not address any substance of the required results towards 2016. Hassan Sheikh failed to live up to Somali people’s expectation and he cannot liberate himself from the grip of small group who unscrupulously pursue similar interest, seeking to achieve it through bad governance. He is surrounded by cartels whoare numerically and economically insignificant in the Somali community that tend to mislead him, and we hoping that he should realize this and disclaim them, perhaps for his political survival.
A poorly designed, poorly implemented strategy is in full swing-the aim being to hijack the vision 2016 process in order to achieve term extension or capture power unlawfully beyond 2016. This means that Mr. Hassan and his hordes would want to get into power with any cost. Because they have wrong attitude towards politics-theyoffered themselvesto lead, not because they want to serve for the people, but because they want to enrich themselves. International Community and the Somali people as well had cautioned Hassan Sheikh more than once, against frequent change of Prime Ministers and bribing Members of the Parliamentto help his perverted motivefor fear of missinghis 2016 goal, but he has never took heed.
President Hassan continuously violates the constitution fundamentally, more so, the cardinal principle of separation of powers. Of the three arms of the government, he virtually controls two, the Executive and the Judiciary;the later factually remains inexistent and lost its independence, both politically and administratively.He uses the third arm of the government-Parliament as his own rubber stamp-to bite any Prime Mister who dare stood the away of his crooked group’s ambition and choice to show some honor and dignity for his office.
Allow me to say few words about my constituency, which ostensibly elected a government with a slim margin of one vote in January 2014. As a matter of fact, this government is sleeping on job. The ineffectiveness of President Gaas’s government is already in the public domain; The President is seemingly struggling with confidence crises and should therefore, realize that fact. The public has right to criticize him in a positive way. But bombarding praises on him is not helping the situation.
A friend of mine, who happens to be insider, told me that the only thing President Abdiweli hates most is, to mention Farole around him, let alone to appreciate the achievement President Farole embarked during his five years term. Apparently, President Gaas being cheerleader and self centered person, continuously likes to show off with the accomplishment of another person, while he has yet to deliver anything worth mention except becoming notorious posture maniac taking advantage of the Television station Farole left behind. The most ugly scene I have seen in my life, is that in the Puntland television, there was a lady broadcaster interviewing a young lady singer while the image of President Abdiweli in an executive chair comescontinually between the two girls, I asked my self what is the connection between the two teen age girls and the President. Astonishingly, you would see the President cutting the ribbon of a 1km road constructed under auspicious of UNDP. This is really cheap publicity that President Gaasshould be aware of and stop.
President Gaas should realize that Farole in his term drafted Constitution and adopted it,designed a Flag for Puntland for the first time in fifteen years. Under his guidance, an impressive State House was constructed; a satellite Television station was put in place. Farole initiated, negotiated and finalized Bossaso and Garowe airports, funded by the Italian Government and Kuwait Fund respectively. Under his stewardship, the GPLG program,which envisages construction of tarmac roads in major towns, was launched andthe construction of Makhir University in Sanaag region was another milestone.Hoping to conduct free and fair elections, the Electoral laws had been passed, ballot papers printed, ballot boxes constructed and polling stations decided all over Puntland. Last but not the least,Garowe-Galkio tarmac road reconstruction is one major project, funded by the European Union.Projects do not come just from the blue overnight;you require time and relentless effort to persuade potential donors. I challenge President Gaas to stop his boastful character and write his name one single viable project during his term.
We place great hope in every leader. If only people of high caliber could lead Puntland, we thought, our country with its vibrant private sector could have achieved the impossible. By and large, President Gaas’s government has delivered nothing of substance. The question is often asked: what happened to the Somali people in general? Why do they always-choice people who are not up to the task? Why do they change principled men to the despicable?If you place a bad person in a good system, the chances of the bad person diluting the system are big. Perhaps those people who make good noises to impress public at the election time, where never good that at all. Perhaps all they were lacked was the opportunity for the bad in them to come out and show itself.
Storm has drawn in Puntland from all corners. The most serious ones are the salary arrears, a time bomb, which is awaiting to detonate stiff opposition in the face of President Gaas any time soon. However, more aggravating question is, the ambition of Hassan Sheikh and our brothers in the South to merge parts of Puntland with the Central State indifferently without the consent of the People concerned.Article 64, clause 6 of the draft Constitution of the Federal Somalia states, “at least two or more regions may federate,based on the free will of the people:Hence, Puntland people are denied the opportunity to exercise their free will. Interestingly, at this critical point in time,Puntland leaders are said to be selfishly busy to enrich themselves for vision 2016 race, which as far I concern, will never happen.
Therefore, it is high time Puntland people to wake up and make their government accountable without prejudice.
Let me conclude this short note with this little interesting story. When I was child, my Granny (grandmother) used to tell me fascinating stories, one of them runs like this; “Son there is people who walk on their heads, I kept asking her, Granny why they can’t walk on their legs like we do, she laughs and says, son they are asking us as to why we can’t walk on our heads like they do! My people everywhere are walking on their heads rather on their legs.
Tentative roadmap:
Come 2016, where the incumbent government fails delivering necessary strategies inevitable for general election, there must be alternative ways to embark on to sustain what has been achieved so far. One thing,which is very clear, is thatthe old controversial and unjust method of selection of Parliament marred with corruption and incompetence will not be returned to.
Therefore, following steps can be considered.
The existing entities such as, Federal Government, Puntland, Jubbaland and SouthwestStates with the facilitation of the United Nation Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) have to lead the process beyond vision 2016;
Appointing 17 members Committee for the selection and ratification of the members of the Parliament;
Appointing 7 members arbitration Committee for any dispute that may arise during the selection of MPs and anything regarding the process. The verdict of this Committee shall be final and abiding;
Mogadishu is no longer a Banadirregion, as it used to be, it is the capital and the seat of the Federal Government of Somalia. It shall be divided into 4 zones. Each zone shall be further sub-divided into two sections. Each section will have one Parliamentarian-i.e. Mogadishu alone will have 8 MPs.Article 9, clause 1 of the draft Constitution says,“the new federal Parliament may by federal law passed by both chambers of Parliament decide on the capital city and its status”.
Each of the seventeen remaining regions shall have 14 Parliamentarians i.e. 14 MPs x 17 Regions= 238 MPs. Remaining 29 seats shall be allocated to women, marginalized groups and people with disability.
Elders of every region and clans shall forward unified list of members of Parliament of that region to the Selection and Ratification Committee. The Committee shall set conditions and criteria for MPs.
AlibarreJama
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Member of the Preparatory Committee that founded Puntland 1998
Long serving civil society member
Chief Cabinet of the President Farole’s ter
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