Getting to First Base with rebuilding Somalia

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Optimists see the cup as half full while pessimists see it as half empty. Somali optimists wholeheartedly supported the new President of Somalia. They have taken into consideration the difficult situation that the country is in and the need to move forward with what the roadmap offered.

Pessimists have taken a different view of the President and the moderate religious group that he personifies. Some have given him the nickname of “Gurguurte”, a Somali euphemism for being slow, given the snail-paced process that the selection of the Prime Minister had gone through. After taking almost a month to name the new Prime Minister, many were disappointed with the outcome and conjured the Arabic saying “Tamakhada Al-Jabalu, Fa Walada Faran”, the mountain labored but gave birth to a mouse.

 

The new Prime Minister is a new comer to the Somali political arena and only clairvoyants are in a position to determine whether he is the right man for the difficult job at hand: resurrecting a failed state. Some smell corruption given his NGO background since Somali NGOs are notorious for diverting large portions of the wealth entrusted to them by Western Donors into their own deep pockets.

 

Instead of throwing accusations without any concrete evidence, it would be prudent to call upon the Somali Parliament to investigate the man and his NGO thoroughly in order to determine whether such corruption fears are warranted. I am sure that all the funds received by”Saacid”, the PM’s NGO are in the public domain and can be traced easily to their end uses: in the pocket of the PM or in the bellies of the victims of famine and misfortune. The list of donors is long and includes governments, International Organizations and International NGOs. It is incumbent upon the new parliament that helped us get rid of the two Sharifs to be vigilant and to rise up to the task of vetting the new PM and his cabinet.

 

At this critical juncture in the history of our country, what matters most is to get to first base in the coming four years. Even if we are saddled with leaders perceived by some of us as being below par, we need to give them a hand so that we can extricate ourselves from the miserable situation in which our people languish. African soldiers we used to despise and call names are running the show in our country, and thousands of our youth perish in their attempts to flee a bleak future. We may have to overlook many wrong decisions in the interest of reaching our final objective: a united, strong and prosperous Somalia. The effects of twenty years of anarchy cannot be wiped out in a few months. However, we should not overlook or tolerate any corruption.

 

Unlike other writers, I am not going to accuse the President of ineptitude or cronyism. But I have two reservations against his judgment to appoint an inexperienced PM from the South Central.

 

The President had access to a large pool of talented individuals who have experience in building the Institutions that Somalia lacks and needs desperately. Instead of utilizing this pool of talent, the president opted for a Prime Minister with no experience other than running an NGO and a small business in Kenya. I suspect that his inner circle may have a hand in the selection process. Let us hope that their future recommendations to the President do not fall into the same realm.

The President appears to have completely turned his back on the Northern portion of the country as if sending us Northerners a signal that we do not really count in the new Somalia. His action will only embolden the secessionist elements in the North. It is beyond comprehension that the three highest offices in the land have been allotted to individuals from the South. Such inequitable distribution of power in the country will not resonate well with Unionists who have sacrificed hundreds of their youth in defending and upholding the unity of Somalia.

 

Pres. Mohamud (center) with the Speaker of Parliament Mr. Jawari and the PM designate Mr. Shirdon

The President may have his own valid reasons for picking a Southerner for the PM position. May be he plans to pacify the South first and then restart the negotiations that his predecessor started with the secessionists in the North. If that is the case, then he will have committed an unforgivable sin against Northern Unionists if they are excluded from such negotiations. The old British Protectorate is dead and long gone and the North itself is fragmented into those who support the secession and those who are against it. Accommodating one side and ignoring the other can only prolong the Somali nightmare. Let us hope that the President and his inner circle can appreciate the gravity of the situation.

 

The Security Council in its latest meeting on Somalia agreed upon the need for preserving and safeguarding the territorial integrity and Unity of Somalia. Therefore, Northern Unionists expect the Somali government to adopt and implement these clear and unambiguous resolutions. The recent incarceration of Somali mothers in Las Anod by the Somaliland administration should not be taken lightly by the Somali government which is expected to protect its citizens. The only crime that these mothers committed is celebrating the naming of the new Prime Minister.

 

Finally, let us not jump the gun and pass judgement on the new PM before he names his cabinet. If he fills his cabinet with inexperienced mullahs to satisfy the wish of the president and his inner circle, then we should lobby the Parliament to reject his ratification. If he selects professionals who can rebuild our lost institutions, then we should welcome him with open arms, that is if he turns out to be squeaky clean.

 

Ali H. Abdulla

[Mario B]

Reasonable piece.

 

At this critical juncture in the history of our country, what matters most is to get to first base in the coming four years. Even if we are saddled with leaders perceived by some of us as being below par, we need to give them a hand so that we can extricate ourselves from the miserable situation in which our people languish. African soldiers we used to despise and call names are running the show in our country, and thousands of our youth perish in their attempts to flee a bleak future. We may have to overlook many wrong decisions in the interest of reaching our final objective: a united, strong and prosperous Somalia. The effects of twenty years of anarchy cannot be wiped out in a few months.

However, we should not overlook or tolerate any corruption.