Mr. prime minster , please nominate competent people and ignore tribal pressure.

[galbeedi]

We are all waiting for the prime minister to nominate his counsel of ministers. The constitution allows the him about a month to assemble his ministers and then, the parliament either approves or rejects them as a group. It is not a perfect system in so many ways. Rather than judge the ministers individually by merits, the parliament votes as a block. Lately we have been hearing the consultations the minister is having with Somali tribes residing in the parliament and outside.

 

I really do not understand the idea of satisfying tribes with ministers. With over 300 members sitting in both houses of parliament , almost every Somali clan or sub clan is represented in these chambers. Representation in the parliament is not equal or comparable a vote inside the cabinet. The cabinet should be based on geography (regions) and merit. The so called 4.5 formula will make the cabinet susceptible to tribal pressure and incompetence. If you use these formula and give each group seven ministers, that would make some regions over represented. For example , the D&M , group who is represented in South West region will have 7 ministers from three provinces. while the northern region of Awdal, W.galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag, might only get four according to the formula. Also , the Puntland region with three provinces , including big cities like Boosaaso and Gaalkacayo may get only two minister after they are divided among the "D" block.

 

I would rather use merit and simple regional formula with each province getting a seat in the cabinet. Also, if you give tribes the veto power to appoint ministers, that will make your cabinet weak and only accountable to their tribes or those who were pushing their nomination. In stable countries political appointees like ministers usually push the agenda of the government through the government ministry, but most of the work is done by professional bureaucrats who are expert in their fields. Since Somalia does not have a well established and functioning bureaucracy , it needs competent and able ministers to organize and build these institutions.

 

I would like to urge prime minister Khayre to reject the tribal pressure and select competent men and women to dig this country from the hole. This mess that we found ourselves for he last two decades was created mostly by us Somalis, and it's only other Somalis who could be able to dig all of us out. While sound, stable politics and leadership guides the affairs of nations , eventually what counts more than any thing else is hard work and vision. Flying around foreign capitals and pampered with false promises will not dig wells in Hiiraan nor will help you deliver salaries to the soldiers in Baydhabo..

 

Mr. prime minister, it will be about work, work, and work. Few years ago I was a member of local non profit organization assigned to build small port in the western regions of Awdal. We wanted to build small ,hundred feet jetty to help local people for fishing and small commercial boats that would bring goods from Yemen and others gulf countries. Less than $200,000 dollars were the early estimates.

 

We did raise money , and while we were on the process , others suggested that since we were building a port, why don't we build something good and lasting that would probably cost a million and half. For six years, I flew to Minneapolis, Toronto and other places to meet other people who were helping that effort. Add that to hundreds of hours of useless conference calls that takes away your leisure time for weekends . Finally, I decided to quit . We did raise some money, while others have bought and delivered some equipment for the construction. At the end, after six years, , there was no small jetty or any port built. In fact , there was no shovel to the site . No one executed the real work, like giving the contract for someone to fill the sea or dig any thing. in order to do a job, you need a place to do the work and time to conclude, in other words , time and space , otherwise it would became just talk. Those people whom I was working (talking) with were all educated people , but they never created any thing in their lives. They never understood the efforts of executing the job and getting dirty or standing in the hot sun to achieve these goals.

 

In order to live by the high hopes of the people , you must work 16 hours a day. Also, in the third world , the kind of change that we have seen in February 8, 2017 is almost impossible and sometimes unacceptable to the dictators in our neighborhood. Kenya , as a democratic country , may accept the changes in Somalia since they themselves went through some elections, but the despots in the region , including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda and others are probably terrified . While most of our problems are from our own making, those who would like to take advantage of our situation, either for economic or security reasons will not disappear easily.

 

The Ugandan army has carried a big load to help us defeat Al-shabaab, but no nation in their right mind will be willing to repatriate and bring home ten thousand soldiers who are earning hard currency by their countries standard. Imagine, if these soldiers go home, they will be earning $120 dollars instead of $1200 they getting in Somalia. They would probably stage a coups and try to replace the 30 year rules of Musafeni. Uganda and Ethiopian leaders are already discussing ways to throw sophisticated obstacles in the near future. They will not rush in the short term, but as soon as they smell blood or see weakness, dysfunction or opportunity, they will fill in.

 

A targeted killings never seen since the A/laahi Yusuf government of 2005, has started in Mogadishu for the last few weeks. Innocent people who happen to be just government workers, police officers, former soldiers or just city cleaners (a woman who is a city cleaner was among them) who do not have protection have been killed almost every other day. The bombing that subsided at the end of last year , but are reappearing in faster base targeting markets and vendors.

 

I do not want to be ahead of my self, but there is already a dangerous man sitting inside the parliament. Hassan Sheikh has as much as 80 members of parliament who are loyal to him and he might use these people for his future plans. Hassan Sheikh was worried about Shariif Ahmed and did not expect Formaajo to unseat him. With the Berbera port issue looming and the cash carrying Emirates, any thing can happen. A year and half ago there were efforts to impeach Hassan Sheikh inside the parliament with almost 90 signatures , but some how through intimidation and other methods he survived. If the impeachment of Farmaajo starts within two years, it will be headed by no other than Hassan Sheikh.

 

Mr. prime minister, you need tough men and women to face these Unisom people down the road in few years. When the new secretary general of the united nations landed in Mogadishu early these week, he did make a big statement that almost everyone missed. Of course he did mention the drought and the looming famine, but he also asked the investment of the Unisom soldiers. He never mentioned about Somalia building it's own capacity. Those who expect others to carry their load , will always repeat the same mistakes other made before they left the stage.

 

Their are enough soldiers in the country as we speak. There are trained and able soldiers in Puntland, Galmudug, Jubba and other places. All you need to do is incorporate them, pay their salary and elevate the as national army instead of regional. They will be happy to be paid and employed.

 

The best way to confront this tough issues in the future and succeed is to nominate competent people who will fight with you in the trenches. When Faarax Shirdoon Saacid was nominated, he was given the list made by Damujadiid. He accepted every thing and added his own incompetent allies to fend of the the Damujaddiid assault. . Within six months his government was considered both by Hassan Sheikh and the parliament to be incompetent and week. They gave him even a nickname. They force feed you and at the end will blame you.

 

If you are just worried about getting the approval of the parliament , and swallow the pills that Somali tribes are subscribing to you, definitely you will fail. Consider the tribal interest to be evil and self centered. Follow your conscience and if you fail, there will be no regrets from your side

[maakhiri1]

Well said bro, Well put!

[Holac]

Great call Galbeedi. Really well said!!!

[galbeedi]

Holac and Maakhiri1, thanks for the nice words.

 

Just would like to add that does anyone know the names of the ministers who lead some of the biggest portfolio's like interior, security or defense?, I don't think so. They were Damujdiid boys appointed to oversee the regional issues of the president. The reason we do not remember them is they have not done any thing worthy, life changing or tangible that we could remember.

 

That is what you get when you surround yourself with the Jamaca. America with all its knowledge and experience hires experts from different political spectrum to find the right people.

 

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Salaam walaal. The so-called ministers were ministers by name not what you expect of a minister. He's either in that position because of tribal quota or connection not on merit.

 

There are a lot of dinosaurs in Somali politics. They must be moved aside to make way for younger generation that hopefully would see politics a trade of trying to change people's lives for the better.

 

Capable people have to put themselves forward in positions of leadership, if we want to realize the change we looking for. A case in point of the difference 'young people' can make was evident in February elections. The young parliamentarians wanted to make a change for the better and somehow understood that they represented the wider Somali public that couldn't vote in their country's head of state.

 

I think we -the younger population- need to step up to the plate, after all, it's the young that are the majority in the country.

[maakhiri1]

I am very intrigued how well some of the HAWALA and TELECOM companies operate, they hire very honest ,competent, reliable ,and hardworking, they reward with a good salary, and function very well with zero corruption, Running a government is no different running a BIG business..

[galbeedi]

Maakhiri1,

 

You hit the nail in the head. I have a friend in this town who manages and part owner of Hawalla. His small down town office is managing and transferring millions of dollars a year. They ave branches in every town in Somalia. People from Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and most of east Africa are using their service. Their success is based on trust and the kind of people they hire. They hire the best people from every community they operate.

 

They could deliver salaries of the soldiers and government employees through their system. The only organized people who could deliver any services are the private companies. The idea of giving the salaries of the soldiers to general and carry in his bag is outdated. Give everyone an ID, and let him go to the Hawalla office and collect his salaries at the beginning of the month. The bank should transfer the funds directly to them.

 

They could do even more. I would sit with Dahabshill and Amal companies and ask them to deliver services and forward the invoices latter. Business people usually appreciates the opportunity to do things and will deliver honestly. If you ask a restaurant owner to prepare 200 plates of rice a day, he will not only do the job, but would appreciate the opportunity and will not cheat to do.