Somali regional president Mustafe Cagjar must resign for real reforms to take place

[galbeedi]

While ago when someone asked me about Somali regional president Mustafe Cagjar . I said , He is a reformer and people respect him.

I haven't changed my opinion of him, yet I do believe that he isn't capable of implementing the reforms necessary for Somali region to move forward. 

Here are my main reasons :

 

1-President Mustafe can't distance himself from the clan elders of his community and the tribal system that is trying to intermingle with the current government. The gate keepers of his office are tribal elders. If you need an appointment , you must find one of the elders. His tribal groupings are terrified of not only change but also the  fear that other Somalis might share the power and the future of the region. In fact, the overwhelming majority of his community believe that without one of their clansmen in power they might not survive a playing field with the rest of Somalis. . For these people,  losing power means the end of the world. I was debating one of these guys and told him that despite their fears nothing will happen to them. I told him that " your  regions have a thousand kilometer paved roads built by the Chinese from Jigjiga all the way  to Godey,;  you  got water canals, health centers and other infrastructure, and we did not get one kilometer of paved road, one school built the state , yet we are not starving and under circumstances we are doing fine, why worry?"

 

They have been ruling Jigjiga town  for more than 12 years , yet other than few unfinished buildings in Jigjiga which people call  " Booli Qaran"  they do not have any  honestly earned assets that is visible to see. In fact, most of those buildings are litigated in courts because the land these buildings are sitting are either confiscated from the rightful owners or are taken for public interest and then transferred to the clan insiders.

 

 This is not  Mogadishu were everyone had left after 1991, and no one came back for their houses and assets until 2008 while many did not even came back ald left for good. Illey just left seven months ago and there are witnesses to corporate who owns what. Within Jigjiga you could see unfinished four story buildings abandoned by Illey and his cronies.

 

2-while showing his Somali centric face, he is totally on board of the clan agenda to marginalize others  and hold on to power for what ever price it takes. Few weeks ago when I was in Jigjiga, about sixty Somalis security officers who finished their training came back to Jigjiga. They were  recruited from different towns within  the region to be the new face of Somali officers. Those who hail from the presidents clan were given officer ranks covertly in Godey without anyone knowing while others were visiting their home towns. A local Suldaan told me that he had taken the case of six officers from his region  who were left behind from the promotion. These are many of  tribal moves  and illegal actions  are taking place under his watch and he could do nothing.

 

3- He is becoming hostage to ONLF agenda. 

 

Hundreds of ONLF operatives , activists and supporters had come from the diaspora after signing the peace accord with Abiy Ahmed. I am not talking about the fighters and others who were based in Asmara , Eritrea, but hundreds  of supports from the diaspora. I was staying a hotel were ONLF operatives from the diaspora were staying. These men  came from around the globe. They came from Toronto and Alberta in Canada; America, Australia and Western Europe. They were the guests of the Somali regional government. Imagine hundreds of people eating and sleeping big hotels for free for months and months. While we were paying our bills like everyone else, these free loaders were staying these hotels without worry. I do not know how long these welfare from the poor Somali region will last. Most of them  were in the diaspora like me  for 25 years or more and they just come home and want to take the power from the balcony of their cushy hotels. 

They both using each other. ONLF want to use state resources that belong to the Somalis while trying give cover and legitimacy to Cagjar. He in return want to use them as a threat that needs to be pampered while knowing that  despite their past the ONLF of today are just another party that relocated from the diaspora.

 

They supposed to finance themselves and pay their way to build their political party and contest  the election like every other Somali group. This is the mind set I was referring to. They do not understand that these resources belong to the Somali people who badly needs schools and health centers , yet millions are spent on to this privileged class from the diaspora.

 

4-Last but not the least of all , he is very weak. He may  have a good heart or reform minded agenda and freedom for the Somalis, but if you can't stand up to your own  clan and protect the public purse from the ONLF free loaders and others, then it is imperative to resign and give the helms to others. Mustafe Cagjar was an idealist NGO operative that has no business in running and cleaning up the mess left by Illey and others. 

 

Most of all, in order to reform the Somali region and implement a fair and free election, you need another leader who doesn't have the clan affiliation or weakness to please certain people. There were two reasons that Mustafe Cagjar was made as the acting president.

 

First, there was a fear among the Ethiopian leaders that the ruthless Liyu police who were blood thrust might create anarchy and security issues within the region. Since they were trained to die and live for the tribe , they might have caused massacres, robberies and other criminal actions that  would had made the Somali region a failed region of outlaws. Since these armed men know only clan affiliation, it was logical to bring one of their own and buy the peace in the short term.

 

Second,  He was hand picked  by  small group of activists  from JIgjiga called "Dulmi Diid" who used him as a symbol of the victims of Cabdi Illey who killed his brother. Dulmi Diid didn't have political muscle to crown their own man. Many of them were junior operatives of Cabdi Illey himself for many years. They just abandoned him for the last year of his power and they were mostly managed from the diaspora. When their opinion were asked by the top leadership, they pointed out to a guy in Halane, Mogadishu compound whose brother was murdered by Illey.

 

 Despite their early backing of Cagjar and agitations in Jigjiga,  Dulmi Diid today became a powerful group especially in Jigjiga. They refused the raising of ONLF flag  in Jigjiga , and in these days,  if anyone wrongs them they would rise up and shake the city literally. I did accompany a friend of mine who was trying to buy land just  outside  the perimeter of the city and to my surprise, almost all those farms belonged to the Bart...re community. When they say they own the city, they probably mean about the surrounding because the city itself is inhabited by many different community. 

 

Despite all those reasons, the most important  one is that a  real change in the region must happen now before a disputed election and the civil war that might  follow. The OG community must face the reality now, and Somalis and other people in Ethiopia must see their future reactions now before too late. If Mustafe Cagjar resigns and is replaced by someone from other communities or Ahmed Shide  himself , it will show them that everyone including an OG president is replaceable. The change is coming , so let them taste the change now during the transition period.

 

The biggest problem of all is that they think replacing  them is anti Somali,  equating their clan to Soomaalinimo.  Well, they must understand that the Somali region and community is bigger than one single community and to realize that now will save the Somalis from a lot of headache in the future. Many years ago following 1991, everyone has thought that someone from the HAG community must lead Somalia or there might not be peace. I believe we have passed that stage today and the Somali region must pass that stage in order to prosper.

 

The campaign to cry foul had already started and  their irrational speeches are hitting the airwaves. They are calling  Ahmed Shide an Oromo , spy and many other awful names. THey must understand that they are not the ones who give Somali identity cards to other Somalis. Somalis had lost more territory under Cabdi nIlley than any other leader. Just this week there was bloody fights among the Affar and Somali residents whose land was transferred by Illey in 2014  to the Affar kilil.Many Somalis are still dying because of his late actions. In order to please the TPLF , he gave away every land dispute. The first regional capital of the Somali state was Dire Dhaba, the second largest city in Ethiopia at the time, yet the guy from Godey who became the leader took away from Dire Dhabe to Goday. It was Cabdimajid who brought from Godey To Jigjiga.  Because of that action we lost Diredhabe to others.

 

I would advise president Cagjar to resign honorably and give others to right the mistakes done by Illey and company.  Also, most Somalis including me,  do not believe that Mustafe Cagjar will be able to hold fair and free elections in 2020. The reforms to pave the fair elections must take place now.

[Dahireeto]

Woow.  Once Galbeedi calls for Abtigiis ouster, you know Cajar has become a total failure. 

 

[galbeedi]

Warr wadanka gudihiisa waa la iswada haystaa. 

He is secluded in huge compound built by Illey. He can't lead . He didn't resolve one single dispute as of today. You can't just pick up a young guy from Halane and throw in a tough place.

furthermore, he is going to resign.

You heard it here.  

[galbeedi]

Here you have one of the members of Mustafe Cagjar office calling for war

 

[galbeedi]

different guy same threat.

 

[Suldaanka]

2 hours ago, galbeedi said:

Warr wadanka gudihiisa waa la iswada haystaa. 

He is secluded in huge compound built by Illey. He can't lead . He didn't resolve one single dispute as of today. You can't just pick up a young guy from Halane and throw in a tough place.

furthermore, he is going to resign.

You heard it here.  

Cagjar was a temporary leader anyway, he was just there until the elections takes place next year. 

The current fallout between Ahmed Shide and Cagjar is rooted in the recently published power distrubtion formula which the O-clan got numbers that they didn't expect.  In the numbers that Ahmed Shide brought to the table,  the majority of regions of the Somali State, the O-clan was outnumbered. Hence, the number they were given for the Central Committee seats of ruling ESPDP, was much lower than they expected.  

There was an outcry and rejection from the O-clan chauvinists recently. It seem Cagjar has succumbed to these people and this could cause him to resign.  

The reality on the ground and the O-clan's dreamed up numbers are two ends that cannot be reconciled. Cagjar has found himself between these two rocks. 

But where does all these put ONLF? I reckon they have painted themselves up against a tight corner. Military defeated, and politically irrelevant. 

[gooni]

Somaalidu waxay isku diiday qabiil waana tan ka dhigtay qowmiyadda ugu daciifsan itoobiya, waa dhaqan soo jireen ku dhaw oo taxan ilaa soomaaliyada fog

Awoodda ay isku muquuniso waa yaa u khidmayn kara amxaarka dhexe, kan ugu dhaw yuu taladiisa qaataa msrkaas, wuxuuna ku amraa madaxa is maamulka oo markaas jira, inuu gacantiisa ku qoro warqadii uu shaqada kaga tagi lahaa.

Ina illey ka hor lixdii biloodba mid cusub bay magacaabi jireen waxaana filayaa inay sidii hore kusoo noqotay.

Abey ahmed maamulkiisa dumar baa u badan, nin dumar iska hor mariyayna qidhiisu meel fog gaari maayo.

[cadnaan1]

 

[Che -Guevara]

The sad reality is the Somali region is/will be controlled by Addis. Your argument is a case of two bald men  fighting over comb.

More land and resources wilk be lost to neighboring regions long as Somali political disunity persists. 

And Abiy is buying time, he's to be the next Zenawi once takes care of OLF and Woyanes.

The best thing that could  happen to Somalis is peaceful Balkanization of Ethiopia, that seems unlikely at least for the near future Even an independent Somali region might turn into Somalia if not carefully managed.

[Dabrow]

9 hours ago, Apophis said:

@galbedi,

 

I glanced at your diatribe but let me simplify it for you, I am not one to waste time on long nonsense.

0gadenia will be ruled by an OG and 80% of the upcoming parliement will be composed of this family.

 

And there is nothing you or the Somalised Oromo Shide can do about it. 

Dadki daaqsi ku yimid baa hada dhul iyo mamul hungurin.

Don’t forget Abiy made a deal witn ONLF, no other party.

 

You are not even 30% of the region. Is it not time to realize that you live with other Somalis in the Somali region? I support Abtigis to finish his term but the region needs changes and it needs to be inclusive to face the threat coming from outside. Naked tribalism will only undermine the region. 

[cadnaan1]

It looks like abtigiis is the good guy here.

 

 

[galbeedi]

Apophis,

Saaxiib this region is called Somali Galbeed or Somali region not Ogadenia.for years we used to tell them please remove this name , and they would say that this is an international name that the western media and others might recognize. Few years later they chat to Ogadenia. 

Dabarow,

I also wanted him to finish his term as a care taker president, but he can’t reform because of the  ONLF and others. Also, Somalis can’t trust them to manage a fair election. What we need is a temporary care taker  leader who is not beholden to a tribe. 

On the issue of the population, The Ethiopian census of the estimated population in all regions of Ethiopia is out . Somali region is estimated  with 5.5 million. They will be lucky if they make up 20% of the population. I have the list and post this afternoon when I get home.

Fiki (Fiqi) is a “Gobol “ a region with four districts, yet it got only 205,000 people. Awbare got 405,000 as one single district of Jigjiga or Faafan region. Three or four regions inhabited by the OG and shared with other Somalis couldn’t reach a million. Dhagaxbuur region has four four districts , the two largest are Gaashaamo with 223,000 and Awaare with 215,000 both of these districts are  dominated by the GHjs  community. Dhagaxbuur it self which is shared by others got only 65,000 , yet it is the regional capital. Jiigjiga  region or Faafan got 1,350,000 With no OG settlements close by. 

It is a red hearing from president Mustafe to say that he want to remove Illey loyalists from the party. Many of them were supporting him earlier.

The main issue is that all the fake regions Illey created can’t be a basis for party representation.He is trying to bring the ONLF to the ruling party and remove locals who were there for fear that they might not vote for him within the party. It is struggle within the party and he might lose. 

This idea of persecuting hundreds of people  now is strange. 

My advice is now is the time to do political changes in order to avoid conflict in the future. It will show that there are no sacred cows here. Also the opinions of other Somalis must be considered. 

Haddii aad diido in ay Soomalida kale ku taliso, adinguna lagaa yeeli maayo. Soomaalidu doirasho iyo xiriyad ayey rabtaa.

 

[Che -Guevara]

 

[Holac]

@Abtigiisis fighting for his political life. He can be gone any minute.

[cubano]

I dont understand why Ethiopian troops dont crush ONLF. ONLF is very weak now and is not a serious military threat to Addis.