It is a good revealing interview, yet he did cover the real truth about his ill gotten money.
Some us welcome his regrets and mistakes in a couple of major events:
First, former president Ali Mahdi accepted the blame of allowing a corrupt politician Cumar Carte for dismantling the national army. It was the most significant move that created the security vacuum and allowed the tribal rebels to replace the state.
Later, Donald Remsfield copied that idea and destroyed Iraq by dismantling the 400,000 Iraq army and paved the sectarian conflict that is still raging in that country. Yet, Cali Mahdi and Manifesto failed to invite and bring to the table the armed rebels, mainly SNM, USC of Aideed and others which eventually led to catastrophic events.
The second point is that unlike many other Somalis, especially in the North East and North west, the HAG community doesn't abide or flow the tribal logic of the Somali clans. It shows despite their anarchist tendencies, the HAG community are not tribal like most Somalis . Over 300 members of the HAG clan convened in Mogadishu and could not find a verdict about the competing leadership of Ali Mahdi and Aideed, which means the traditional tribal norms are not strong in Mogadishu which might mean a blessing for the future of the Somali people.
Waxa uu yidhi waa boog ku taala HAG. In my opinion these two statements are the most honest about interview. I also agree with him that the dumping of nuclear waste in Somali waters to be baseless and unfounded. As Ali Mahdi said, the Somalia of 1992 did not had the capacity to deny anyone of dumping toxic waste.
Furthermore, he is correct that the October revolution had the advantage of taking power from a system that was developed from 1950-1969. Yet, his simplistic explanations of the support Somalis had given to the Kacaan was shallow at best. The phenomenon of the October revolution was a wind of change that engulfed many African nations in the sixties. Very prominent leaders of the continent were deposed by coups. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, the leader of Pan-African movement, Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria, and Lampuba of Zaire were among the victims of the coups of the sixties. Somalia was not different from those nations who fell under the military. Also, communist dictatorship was the only way to keep the power in African, Asian and even Europe.
Of course the Somalia of 1960-69 was a goal oriented, rising nation, yet the Somali people were disappointed by the competing interest of the ruling class. By the election of 1969, Somalia had 80 parties, and after the election was over , except C/risaq H.huseen, they all joined the ruling SYL after the election.
Part of the blame was the revolving door of the Italian system Somalis have inherited. In Italy from 1945-90, they had more than 40 governments, and some of them last barely few months. It is the same system that is grappling our country where prime ministers are replaced every 12 months.
Yet, no one can deny the euphoria Somalis had shown for the Kacaan in 1969.
Back to the interview.
While Cali Mahdi had offered and accepted some of the earlier mistakes, he did not refute or explain his ill gotten money during the rule of then president C/laahi Yusuf. He reveals that he was the one who brought the $32 million reconciliation dollars or Saudi bribes supposed to buy support for the TNG..
He accepts his share of the millions given to him. He said, he spend over 4. 5 million dollars to house and cook some food for the Somali elders for a week in makeshif Halane compound. He said the $ 2 million of his share of the bribe was stolen by the man who supposed to deliver to him. People who were close to C/laahi Yusuf government told me that Cali Mahdi too $8 million of the money. So far he revealed 6.5 million.Yet, a man who was wiling to take home 2 million dollars of bribe had given back $4000 dollars he stole in 1968. I do not buy that. " War garaad dhaama jira"
Ali Mahdi also flowed another scheme used by corrupt Somali politicians and looters to hide their ill gotten theft. Usually, they use their wives or their children to hide their money.
" Xaaskayga ayaa hotelka iska leh" .
Lately, we have found out that the wife of one the former presidents who used to sell gasoline in a retail shop in Mogadishu , is now a multi millionaire business woman who owns big buildings.
well, Mr Mahdi should take off his dark glasses and tell the real truth.