ARTICLES

Somalia: Anti-Federalism Groups Need Economic & Political Assurance

By: Omar Mohamud Farah (Dhollawa)

Before the collapse of the last Somali Government in 1991, Somalia had a very strong centralized system where one person rings the bell and the rest follow the orders.  This one-man show mentality has lead Somalia into the current political, social and economic upheaval particularly in the geographical area where the seat of the bell bearer was situated. Unfortunately, few people bother to ask why the whole governmental organization, from tea boy to president, has collapsed once and for all. I wish we all know why.

Nevertheless, in early June 2012, the interim Somali constitution was signed by six Somali signatories. In the constitution, a federal system has been adopted with the intention of creating federated States that will form a Somali Federal Government (SFG). State governments will consists of at least two united regions to become member of the Somali Federal government. Additionally, the interim constitution rules that the federal government is the sole entity that will be responsible the country’s Foreign Affairs; National Defense; Citizenship and Immigration; and Monetary Policy.  Not surprisingly, this constitutional arrangement has infuriated a few tenacious individuals who question the applicability of the federal system in Somalia. However, these individuals fail to empower their argument with any clear logic. They dismissively call the constitution a foreign product (I wonder what cars they drive and what brands they wear) and not a homegrown constitution. As a matter of fact, it is very common in Somalia for someone to say one thing while he means something else, even though most of his audience are fully aware of where the speaker is heading ideologically.

Now, as I have empathy to their concern, I would like to take the opportunity to decipher and interpret their pressing issues and also provide a few points that could remedy their fear.

Economically, for many years, Somalia’s main financial income use to come from different sources including taxes collected by the government from Mogadishu (the capital of Banadir), Berbera (in today’s Somaliland), Kismayo (in today’s Jubbaland State) and Bosaso (in today’s Puntland State) ports and airports respectively. Additionally tax imposed on the produce from the riverine area was vital for the nation’s economy. Furthermore, international community has been providing assistance in the form of aid or budget subsidy. Similarly, in fairness, the Somali Diasporas in the Arab Peninsula have been also unofficially injecting sizable amount of money to Somalia from 1970s to 1980s.

In the employment sector, the Somali’s biggest job provider use to be the Somali government in the public service and their employees could be anywhere and in any position in Somalia from Raas Haafuun to Raas Kaambooni and in between.  In this case, Mogadishu had been the hub and the distributer of the Public service jobs from laborer to landlords, and from bankers to policy makers. Mogadishu also use to be the Headquarter of all government institutions including education, health, defense as well as private industries. Unfortunately, that role has disappeared 23 years ago, and it is about to be replaced by emerging capitals of federal States. Surely, Somali capital will exist but will be governed by different and unique bylaws to represent the new Somalia.

So what is causing all the fuss? If one were to take a look at the setup of Somalia’s regional map, it is obvious that some regions, particularly the central regions, are either not yet fully tapped their resources or simply it is environmentally difficult to domesticate the nature. As a result of this the inhabitants of these areas have historically been heavily dependent on the financial subsidy of the central government and were also dominant in the public service. Now, the federal system will be based on federated States and each State will adopt an inward policy where they will apply a policy intended to develop its locals economically, socially, and physically as a priority.

Now, I assume, it is clear why critics of federalism are panicking and writing articles after articles by using all available sophisticated microscopic devices to find, painstakingly, the shortcomings of federal system. The critics are from central regions and they fall in the categories that I explained above where progress is yet to be made for whatever reason. These critics strongly felt that in the current constitutional arrangements their areas will be left out economically and politically and so to them individually. In their eyes, this will happen when each State took the control of its destiny and all positions are dominated by locals. This is a legitimate concern, particularly when the Federal Government’s leadership to subsidize and support the disadvantaged areas in the country is missing.

So, what can the Federal government should do about the concerns of these individuals?  In my view, three things are important to consider to address the concerns of these citizens. Firstly, the government has to allocate special funding to subsidize areas that are not self-sufficient and implement developmental projects so they can become economically viable in the future. Secondly, the federal government has to establish a commission that oversees the accessibility of federal government jobs to make sure that it is not dominated by a particular group. Thirdly, the government has to carry out a social engineering program that can change the clan based mentality especially in the area of employment, so business community can employ the most qualified person for the job rather than through kinship. If these conditions are met, I strongly believe the critics of the federalism will find the economic and the political assurance they need. And ultimately, the critics will be able to redirect their energy to the unfolding tragedies in Lower Shabelle, efforts to explore and adopt a good governance, the preventing our youth from killing themselves in the process of killing innocent people, and finally uniting all Somalis under the umbrella of Federalism like USA, Australia and Canada, the most prosperous nations in the world.

Omar Mohamud Farah (Dhollawa)
Chairman of Somali-Australian Advisory Group (SAAG)

Somalia: What we should learn from Puntland’s Presidential Election.

 

Crossing the mid lines of the book “Once and Future King", T.H. White, note down “The best thing for being sad, beginning to puff and blow, "is — to learn pasts. That's the only thing that never fails. Learn why the world wags and what wags it.

Let’s Pause and think on the day of 8th January 2014….Hmm! turn of the day….. A big Moment for Puntlanders, and no doubt, to all Somalis; the election was replete with symbolism and hyperbole.
Historians, political scientists and journalists will be writing about this election for many years to come.

Following this further, Puntland is a region I’ve come to venerate profoundly for its traditional democratic credentials over the three elections. And now, I have seen that state has successfully transferred power for the fourth time in a row without an implosion. Puntland has done it again… it’s pulled off yet another peaceful election on this January 8!

There are many lessons that we must learn from the way Puntland Politicians transformed their politics of objectivity and vision for the well-being of the mess. Just a couple of weeks since the US-trained economist picked up the mantle power (presidency), Puntland leadership has set an example, to the whole world in general and Somalis particular that their politics has reached a maturity stage.

In point of fact, Puntland has risen from the ashes of bygone eras and the recent election was just badge of big hit.

Unlike what is common in most African country, where political leaders don’t seat side by side, Puntland has put a halt to such practices; it was On December 29, 2013, when Abdirahman Mohamed Farole met with former Puntland President Gen. Mohamud Muse Hersi(Political Rival) at the state house. The two men discussed issues of peace and how together they can evacuate the rupturing state, with joint press conference, both leaders agreed to bury the hatch, all right already!. The candidates also endorsed the Vetting and Conflict Resolution Committee’s task.

This should be a word to the wise and our politicians have to learn that being rivals in election must not jeopardize the welfare of the country.

Days before the countdown, almost all the pundits were predicting that the election would end up in rancor dispute, and to the far, would run into some trouble. Does that ring a bell?

When such an atmosphere is cultivated, nobody should be surprised that violence has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Worse than that, It was remarkable how any individual can weather the storm of hype and use skewed logic and fallacies, claiming for example that, if Abdirahman Farole was to be missed the hit, the state as a whole would end up in ’dire strait '.

But such fallacies, fabrications, political gyrations and tumultuous commotions, did not draw puntlanders from focusing on their own core message…..Peace As Usual!

Sooner after the final whistle was blown,  Abdirahman Farole’s marginal lose sounded counterintuitive , but once he was called to the stage, Mr Abdirahman, with his deep, powerful, familiar voice “admitted his defeat” leaving his listeners spellbound. Almost all bystanders   were struck with mixture of bafflement and bliss as he was finally received standing ovation.

Those who have ruled the state have acted in a way which demonstrates that they are very happy to be led also. The former leaders know both to lead and be led! One must feel enviable and wish that the rest of the country reaches this level of achievement in the not-too-distant future.

On the other hand, Congratulation messages were booming, almost all opting to praise punltand leaders for holding peaceful election. Nicholas Kay, The UN special envoy to Somalia, welcomed Mr Gas's victory.

The Media was also circulating with similar tidings, “Mr Gas, the prime minister of Somalia in an interim administration from June 2011 to October 2012, said he welcomed the fact that Mr Farole had accepted defeat with "great dignity".  Wrote by the BBC’s editorial column, and then added “It is rare for East African leaders to step down without challenging election results”.

TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY

History has a stunning way of repeating itself, and there is no better illustration of this than Puntland’s Jan 8 2014 election. Though the anatomy of that voting system was corruptible secret ballot, and to the fact that performances were less stellar…..but the process has been fascinating to say the least, politics is that and so much more.

What makes this truly commendable is the fact that Land of Punt has maintained its reputation as an oasis of peace in a troubled region of Somalis where smooth elections are not always taken for granted.

In a plain word, the region has proven to be permanently in transition to an irreversible democratic journey (one must differentiate transition to democracy from the mere concept of democratization). The process has gradually begun, like a snowslide that’s almost imperceptible during its initial movement but gets bigger as it grows, so has the journey started.

The rest of Somalis must try to learn closely and modestly to such lessons and congratulate this tiny state for its remarkable and exemplary achievements in showing the world that it has embarked on, one that will long continue and that will overcome the test of time and the hazards of any foreseen and unforeseen misfortune.

In wrapping-up, it should be noted that puntland political landscape has taken new course in which I believe the young leaders should sit on the driving seat while elders share their experience. But the Question is, will H.E Dr.Abdiwali Gas be able to hit the bull's-eye and lead the state forward? Time will tell.

Abdiwahab M. Ali is freelance writer, he writes passionately about Somali Youth in the hope of giving them a voice.  Contact Mail: waberi444@gmail.com