“O’ fools beget none, ruin is thy bequest: Somalia’s Speaker of the House

[Sky]

“O’ fools beget none, ruin is thy bequest: Somalia’s Speaker of the House, the Trojan Horse of Somali Politics

- Friday, August 05, 2005 at 21:02

 

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Mystified, I had remained of Somalia’s Speaker of the House, Sharif Hassan from the day of the election of Somali TFG’s President. The Speaker announced the runner-up as President instead of the clear winner of a majority vote in a nail-biting three-round race. Later on, at the Presidential sworn-in ceremony, the Speaker made a complete mockery of the swearing process by tangling his words and miserably failing to read the note in his hand. Most bizarre was his famed announcement of vote results, when no counting had taken place, in the infamous fist-fight incident involving Somali MPs in Nairobi. His refusal to chair the parliamentary session was another – the reason, it was later revealed by foreign mediators was because the Speaker wanted to be rewarded in monetary terms if he was to seat the House. The mother of all, and the most dramatic of many others in between, transpired in recent negotiations in San’a, Yemen.

 

 

 

Despite his political naiveté and his allegiance with a splinter group while absconding the responsibilities and functions of his post and ditching the majority of his Council, the Speaker confused cotemporary political analysts while astonishing political observers in the region with his practices.

 

 

 

Word has it Somalia's unruly Speaker of the House, Sharif Hassan turned down the deal of the century in an implicit negotiations with the President of Somalia's transitional federal government, Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed. The week long dialogue between the two leaders was to resolve the rift between the leadership which if not resolved could bring about the ultimate demise of the TFG, and being cognisant of that simple fact, an attempt was made to bring an end to the months longs fissure.

 

 

 

Contested were the two issues at the heart of the conflict: security troops from neighbouring countries, and the primary location of the government. On one hand, there was the Sherif accompanied by a minority group of MPs predominantly of Mogadishu warlords including the disreputable trio Qanyare, Atto, and Yalahow whose militias are controlling the capital with the deadly combination of spurious checkpoints and guns. On the other, there was the President, the Prime Minister, and a sizeable majority of both Councils (ministers and MPs). The former demanded the government along with its three branches to must operate out of Mogadishu which is brimming with roadblocks and gun-slinging militias loyal to the said warlords. The latter however outlined a more prudent relocation strategy elsewhere citing insecurity and instability as the primary reasons for the branches of the government to relocate to alternative cities namely Baidao and Jawhar while the capital is being neutralised with government offices established.

 

 

 

After lengthy negotiations, an offer was tendered to the Speaker of the House: that the President was willing to concede on both issues. Allow me to reinstate the obvious. The offer entailed the absolute acceptance on the part of the President of scrapping security troops from the neighbouring nations, and of Mogadishu serving as the primary seat of the government housing the Council of Ministers, and contingent upon that was a clause requiring the Office of the President, and that of the Speaker of the House be situated at Jawhar and Baidao respectively, and with the Prime Minister fully operating out of Mogadishu – the keys to the castle were handed over to the Speaker for the session to commence. Unfortunately, the Speaker turned down the offer. The rationale for the refusal was simple in accordance with the Speaker as stated in an interview “I wish to go back to my ‘group’ in Mogadishu and discuss matters with themâ€. It is not that the Speaker wants to submit the offer to the members of the Parliament for deliberation, but unfortunately, as he puts it, to his “group†for evaluation. Here is the Speaker in candid negotiations with the President on contentious issues that might not only determine the success, or otherwise of the transitional federal government, but also that of the state; yet, the Speaker walks away from the discussion table with complete disregard for reconciliatory efforts from the President along with the majority of both Councils under the pretence of securing approval, or there lack of, of some MPs in “his groupâ€. Word has it, MPs in Mogadishu were livid with rage at the news that the Speaker squandered this golden opportunity that was to bring the rift to a close, and many are now on the brink of disposing of his tutelage.

 

 

 

 

In political negotiations, accepted is the inferred general conception of compromise where each party to the conflict must come to the discussion table prepared to give concessions to the opposing party while accepting in return. Apparently, the Speaker came to do neither judging from his actions whereas the President did his homework in advance though he himself never expecting his offer to be patently rejected. Surely, if history is anything to go by, this will haunt the Speaker for years as he reflects upon how close he came to winning it all, hence the expression “Ilayn doqoni calaf ma leh, waxay dumiso mooyee – O’ fools beget none, ruin is thy bequest.“

 

 

 

Instead of saving the day and in return conceding ground for the sake of reconciliation, the Speaker submitted a host of new conditions that had to be met prior to further negotiations. Most bizarre of all in the new list of demands is the resignation of the Prime Minister, and the subsequent nomination of a new Premier by his group as the Speaker puts it. Equally peculiar is a condition that demanded the consignment of an elevated political status and government sanctioned mandate at par with “veto voting rights†to the armed Mogadishu warlords, now Ministers which in effect would bolster their stronghold in the Council of Ministers. In other words, a government within a government that neither governs nor permits governance, yet with the mandate to perpetuate bedlam and pandemonium. And astonishingly to make matters worse, the Speaker decided to sneak out of San’a in the midst of the night lest incarcerated as if caught in an act of larceny without even communicating his intent to the host nation. “…I had no reason to be in San’a since I did not get what I came for, so I left†he later admittedly said in an interview.

 

 

 

As troubling at it is, the Speaker does not know the description, functions or the operations of his office. Despite the fact that the Speaker had not formed a single committee or sub-committee, the fact that he does not have an office from where to operate, and the fact that he does not even have a secretary let alone advisors and consultants to assist him with parliamentary proceedings and rulings (the Speaker had no formal education or training of any kind other than buying and selling goods at small scale), he so shamelessly waddles in the affairs of the state at pleasure. He repeatedly speaks of his plans to remove the checkpoints in and around the capital; however the details of his work plan had not been seen, no work has been done so far, and none is expected in the foreseeable future considering the enormity of the task involved. More so, the said works are those of the Prime Minister and that of his Council of Ministers; it is therefore surprising that the Speaker neither acknowledges nor recognise his practices of meddling in the affairs of the Premier, and those of the President as he seems to have been from the beginning.

 

 

 

The Speaker it seems is consumed by the sudden popularity availed to him in such a short period of time that is borne out of his appealing to the fears and emotions of the general public, and his judgement being influenced by Mogadishu warlords in their final leg of trying to hang on to their crumpling destructive empire. Not only did the sudden fame and adulation go to his head, but the Speaker is flaunting his powers as if the guardian and the executioner of the State apparatus. Not only does he want to outline government policy, standardise its functioning while formulating its modus operandi, he too so desires to regulate singularly its decree and directives on the same stride. Consult Members of the Parliament, he does not. Engage the President in a dialogue, he rarely does – only with his arms being twisted, or cherries being offered on acceptance. Acknowledge the Prime Minister, he never does. Yet, prematurely he speaks as if the sole voice of reason and reconciliation in Somalia’s transitional federal government.

 

 

 

 

Just to point out the ludicrous heights, the adrenaline that pumps through the veins of our gullible Speaker reaches, consider a recent encounter involving the Speaker in his visit to Jibouti in commemoration of Jibouti’s independence day, 27th of June. The Speaker walked off while President Ghelle was in the midst of his ceremonial speech addressing his nation, foreign dignitaries and distinguished guests. With security agents suspecting disorder, the Speaker was halted for inspection, only to learn that the Speaker was furious and wanted to have nothing to do Jibouti. His concerns were summarised as follows: firstly for not being received as a Heads of a State with the red carpet, State guest houses and chauffeured limousines at his disposal during his stay in Jibouti; secondly for not being seated at the honourary table with other Heads of States; and thirdly for his presence not being noted in the President’s speech. In other words, the Speaker does not realise that only Presidents and Prime Ministers are recognised as Heads of States, and that only his counterpart, Jiboubi’s Speaker of the House could extend him invitation and receive him accordingly. This unfortunately never registered with the Somalia’s Speaker of the House, therefore one must not be surprised if the Speaker is seen for the coming days jetting from one foreign capital to another engaging in deals and contracts on behalf of Somalia’s TFG. Such is the absurdity of the Speaker’s understanding of government and its functions.

 

 

 

I can almost envisage a conversation between the Speaker and a foreign official in a luncheon “…so, what is your government’s fiscal policy, and how do you plan to handle trade balance deficit?â€. Out of his depth, and realising that he found himself in the wrong stable full of stallions, the Speaker lunges for the tray being wheeled by three rows across the aisle gulping down a shot of Pinotage mistaking it for Vimto – what is to follow is something no self-respecting person ever wants to recount. Surprised, dignitaries venture…and which country are you a President of? Somalia, regales the now-tipsy Speaker.

 

 

 

And to make matters worse, the Speaker continues to mislead the general public to disguise his credulity and folly. For instance, while the issues that created the rift in Somalia’s leadership (foreign troops from the neighbouring countries, and government relocation) are no longer contested, the Speaker recycles back issues to exploit public fear and nationalist sentiment – there again he misreads the public opinion. Blink with a wrong move in a game of chess, and so befalls your kingdom – that is the state of the Speaker today.

 

 

 

As unfortunate as this is, much discussion has been directed at the procedural level and due process of who can do what, and at whose authority could certain actions be taken when in reality the core issue that lies at the heart of the rift is political difference in the leadership. Unfortunately, government’s energy and resources are directed towards resolving the squabbling among its leadership while legitimate issues such as security, reconstruction and institution building are being neglected. Even worse, international bodies, aid agencies and donor countries who were initially enthused by the establishment of Somalia’ transitional federal government are no longer committed to supporting its operations. And once again goes the riddle, O’ fools beget none, Ruin is thy bequest.

 

 

 

And despite all that, a golden opportunity which is bound to permit the Speaker to redeem himself has presented itself: UN representatives and IGAD officials in Somalia now with a message of reconciliation. Will he, or will he not, remains the million dollar question! We shall see.

 

 

 

Mohamed A Ali

 

gorayocawl@yahoo.com

 

 

 

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[NGONGE]

An enjoyable read. Of course the fact that it’s nonsensical and full of bias makes no difference to the writer’s ability to keep our interest and amuse us in parts. If the speaker is really the non-entity the author claims he is, then all his antics, deadlock and political wrangling really doesn’t portray the Somali government, people and this author in a very flattering light. Non-entities R Us.

[OLOL]

this is what I call Maxishoodayaal on a character defamation campaign!

This unrelenting affront will definitely backfire and exacerbate the somali conflict. People with forsight and human decency don't espouse such soiled slur on a real Somali hero.

 

I must take my hat off to the Honorabe Speaker of the parliament for not heeding off to this asinine smear and character assasination campaign and for doing the noble thing for being the better man. Sharif Hassan ( pay attention to the name - He is Shareef - an honored dignified man ) has never resorted to any discourteous tone....what an excellent distinctive approach!

 

His stance ( thus, to the eyes of Yeey cheerleaders, his crime) is only that an armed intervention is not the favoured solution to Somalia's predicament.

 

History is once again failing some clowns to digest its lessons. A sinister sense of Déjà-Vu seems to be descending upon us once more when ambitious clannish folks suddenly embark on a destructive enterprise of vanity and callousness.

 

waxaa ka heshiin waxba ha naga siinina!! or should we qoute that deep somali adage " Cagtii Joogsan Weeysaa Mar Beey Ceeb La Kulantaa "

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Very entertaining read indeed.

[BN]

A well written piece.

[Scientist]

SKY

your right the speaker is useless when it comes to what possision he is holding, which is one of the most important institutions of government. but I see the guy as a powerless hostage, all his wealth is in Xamar, and he knows the score, if he turns his back on the blood sucking THREE MOSQUITOS (QANYARE,YALAXOW,CAATO) his wealth will evaporate and go with the wind, and his life may go with it. Even last night one of his body guards was killed, a clear massage to him. read this

 

http://www.dayniile.com/Agosto/8Agoosta6.htm

 

So the Shariif is one of the millions of Xamar citizens who are enslaved at gun point, and need to be liberated.