https://ismailwarsame.blog/2021/03/17/absence-of-professional-associations-in-puntland/

https://imailwarsame.blogspot.com/2012/12/?view=classic&m=1

By Mohammed Khelef with DW

Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has died after weeks out of the public eye. He will we be remembered for reasons both good and bad, says DW’s Mohammed Khelef.

Tanzania’s government says President John Pombe Magufuli died as a result of a heart condition.  POLITICS | 17.03.2021

Opinion: The mystery of Africa’s missing president

This follows weeks of speculation that his absence from public view would prove to be as ironic as it was tragic: that having ignored and laughed in the face of international guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the 61-year-old might have contracted COVID-19 himself.

Whatever the cause of death, his passing highlights the painful division that runs through the heart of Tanzania.

Many people sincerely believe President Magufuli was truly the best leader Tanzania ever had, tackling issues at every imaginable level of government. Many others think he was the worst president possible, crushing human rights and intimidating those who spoke against him.Advertisementhttps://5d49d3da3cb8a7f09165713ba9a08395.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Riding these two extremes was a talent that Magufuli knew how to use to his advantage.

The Magufuli brand of politics

Magufuli came to power in 2015 following a campaign in which he had declared war on corruption. Upon his victory, his supporters were quick to elevate him to the level of a savior sent to save their nation — despite the fact that the election win did not exactly come as a surprise since his Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), party or its political predecessor, has been ruling Tanzania since the country’s independence in the early 1960s.

But part of the reason why Magufuli attracted so much attention was the fact that he managed to quickly establish his own brand of governance.

Magufuli used and misused the country’s constitution repeatedly to achieve his ends, even if that meant endangering lives and livelihoods. It doesn’t take a legal eagle to suggest that he singlehandedly managed to turn the presidential institution into something rather akin to a monarchy within a few short years, though many experts have indeed supported this view.

A new age in Tanzanian politics

Magufuli ultimately built the Tanzania he wanted. He and his appointees within the government and his party even took to using the term “Magufuli’s Tanzania” — and they certainly meant it.

Instead of seeking consensus and compromise, Magufuli stood out for his dominating style of leadership, issuing commands and orders to those seen not to comply.

To his credit, his system worked — to some extent: there were several occasions on which he proved he could solve challenges big and small in almost an instant. He soon became known as a man who put his money where his mouth is — even though that money wasn’t always his to spend.

Government by the people, of the people — but for the people?

Magufuli knew how to sell that brand to the people: Once he was seen handing money to a woman whose pastry business had reportedly gone bankrupt. On other occasions, he would have directors of public bodies fired if those on the lower echelons of the ladder had filed complaints. His every move was an extension of his election and reelection campaign, making him a uniquely hands-on leader in the African context.

Within a few short years, he had become the problem-solver-in-chief, with people from all backgrounds approaching him to sort issues out for them. He took his popularity and turned it into populism.

Not only did Magufuli appear to distrust those working for him and under him, he also got much of the populace to follow his authoritarian style. Public harassment, humiliation and threats became common methods in dealing to those that Magufuli deemed to be in the wrong — and many citizens believed him and followed their leader, as true to his brand, everything was reportedly done for them.

Between Magunomics and Magucracy

Despite his questionable leadership, Magufuli will be associated with the construction of major infrastructures in Tanzania — such as the Central Railway Project, the Stiegler’s Gorge Dam, and the completion of some projects that had been started during past administrations. His aggressive way of getting things done was frequently referred to as Magunomics — especially by those who benefited from his actions.

But the other side to Magufuli that many did not like — Magucracy — will equally be remembered as part of his legacy; being laws, regulations and even the constitution to pursue his own ends while promoting this as the public good.

Some people saw through his deceit and turned against him; but many Tanzanians continued to support the president who would ban opposition parties from holding rallies between election seasons; the leader who banned pregnant girls from school after giving birth; the head-of-state who was happy to ignore international protocol in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.447.1_en.html#goog_38946235 02:10 mins.DW NEWS | 03.02.2021

Tanzania: No plans in place to accept COVID-19 vaccines

Healing divisions

In the immediate aftermath of Magufuli’s death, there will be public mourning and grief for the president; but as far as his longer term legacy goes, there will likely be tears for entirely different reasons.

Magufuli will also be remembered as the president who shut down the media, threatened journalists, detained the rich, activists and politicians, charging them with economic crime cases, as these are not bailable offences under Tanzanian law.

He was also the president who presided over the last two elections — local council elections in 2019 and the October 2020 general elections, both of which have been reported as being neither free nor fair. And in six short years, Magufuli turned Tanzania into little more than a single political party state, where his ruling CCM party dominated more than 90% of seats in public offices.

Admired to the same degree as he was disliked, Magufuli leaves a behind a country that has to find its identity again in the absence of its divisive leader.

Judging by his legacy, this might not be a bad 

Political rumours are past time and way of life in societies lacking freedom of the media and strong public institutions. In these societies, there is no way of knowing the truth; no public access to information; no means of verifying the validity of rumours, and since they are informal means of communication, everyone uses them […]

THE RUMOURS

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2021/03/09/somali-extremist-militants-wont-attack-mogadishu-sea-and-airport-why/

The establishment of professional associations, cooperative societies and firms would take off heavy burden on the government and would make lives and livelihoods much easier.

The creation of professional societies is as important as democratization process in Puntland. It even makes democratization process easier and more organized. It is time for Puntland to think strategically about state and societal development. We need men and women to think daily on those lines and advise the authorities.

But, all these efforts would be in vain, if political leaders are not trained to listen to new ideas and ready to be challenged for their own personal growth.

These organizations don’t need government funding. They would operate on their own budget through levies of fees from their membership, fees for services and grants from the public and government.

Postscript: As a support for the contents of this article and in response to its posting, here is a statement by a professional CPA and Licensed Auditor , Ali H. WARSAME, on the issue:

“On my personal experience, when I became Minister of Education [Puntland] on Feb. 2014, I was informed that one of the vital educational institutions, namely Garowe Teacher Training College, was suspended from funding previously provided by SIDA of Swedish Government through Diakonia, due to audit noncompliance. The institution was literally grounded due to that sanctioning. I read the report first and I immediately recognised that the noncompliance was not a “material misstatement” to warrant such a drastic measure from the funder. I requested audience in Nairobi to meet Diakonia team and management. I first stated my professional background as a certified accountant and licensed auditor. Then I confidently explained to the team what went wrong and although it’s a misstatement, it doesn’t qualify to the level of sanctioning because it’s not “material”. In addition to that, I promised to follow up the misstatement to be rectified, reorganise & restructure the Board of Directors to contain at least 1 qualified professional accountant, change the finance director and give the director of the institute one-year conditional contract to make sure that he understands the situation. I did leave the meeting with full restoration of the funding and appreciation”

Biden Agrees Putin Is Killer, Says He’ll Pay Price for Meddling https://ground.news/article/c0e38d89-630e-49a4-8993-742cf0e972f6

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2020/09/24/the-rumours/

When the State of Israeli was being established in the Middle East in 1948, drawing in Jewish communities from all over the world, they asked themselves one fundamental question for the success of the State: Who is going to do the hard work of building up that State, and make it sustainable in the face of Arab onslaught?

The answer was, “we the Jews”.
In pursuit of this objective, every Jew became the Jack of all trades – the professor became a labourer, farmer, construction worker, teacher, soldier etc. As Israel developed with confidence in their people, they became smarter to use Arab labour for hire. This is how the State of Israeli was built. Any extra assistance from Europe and USA was considered a God-sent and wasn’t relied upon.

The story of Israeli State is reminder and lesson for all Somalis, leaders in particular, on the importance national self-reliance and self-respect. No other countries or organisations will do Somalia’s bidding for continued survival, safeguarding of its sovereignty and success as a nation-state.

So, stop the childish behaviour and mundane existence in running Somalia. We aren’t interested in one man’s personal name or leadership without making it sure that he/she is servant of the people of the people of Somalia, and that we must have a mechanism in place to change leaderships at all levels of public endeavors whenever we feel that they aren’t up to the job.

Since you are here, support Free Press WDM for better Somalia. Send in your subscription of $37 a year to keep this blog running.

by The Mind of RD REVILO

• January Sixth, a Date That Will Live In Memory
• As December seventh will live in infamy
• It Blew And It Was Dangerous Too
• Emotional the feeling of an election stealing
• Sent government reeling
• Or was it staged, a play
• Because so many felt that way
• Their leader, the president
• Implied they had his consent
• That he would lead the way
• But back to the white house he went
• The revolution he watched on TV
• They were going to hang Mike Pence
• Trump, glad that wasn’t me
• They were angry their representatives ran
• They wanted them fight, take a stand
• They felt, what do we have to lose
• If we can’t elect the president we choose
• The new man for hire
• Unity he would aspire
• But when we the people feel he is the enemy
• His solution, stimulus money
• He threw about trillions
• But that won’t satisfy the millions
• Who feels he is illegit
• That he is inept and should quit
• He won’t answer questions from the press
• Which strongly suggests
• That he is not fit to hold office
• These admonitions or admissions
• Cannot be concealed forever
• For presidents go on trips
• They meet with world leaders
• Who measure their leadership
• Can he be left alone to negotiate
• With Putin or Xi
• Have the nerve to attack Iran
• Maintain the drug business in Afghanistan
• Is he the ruler or ruled by committee
• Is he the master or slave of the intelligence community
• A community that attend a small circle of colleges and universities
• A community of intra bred families
• Trump dissed them
• To the point he dismissed them
• Kennedy was going to smash them into a thousand pieces
• Just before he died, these  people instigate wars
• And can cause national suicide
• If Biden doesn’t open is eyes wide
• The British, America’s sunny day pal
• Thought they were invincible
• Until the crisis of the Suez Canal
• Bad intel and the crown fell
• If the intelligence community
• Is now running the country
• Are we in store
• For war after war
• Kaddafi, Saddam Hussein, Manuel Noriega Ayatollah of Iran
• They can create any strong man
• Can Biden render the strength to command them
• Will he seek their counsel or be under their control
• Will the future be unforgettable as sung by Nat King Cole…RD(Revilo)

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Who can tell the spot, location and which part of Somalia is it? That vehicle is one of the car pool I had hired for the JNA studies for Somalia’s Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP) in 2005. The spot is located at GeelDoora Mountain in Calmadow in Sanaag. It takes six hours to cross from LasQoray on the Red Sea for a distance of less than 6 Kms.

This study a (synthesis of Puntland, Somaliland and South-central Somalia Needs Assessment Studies) had culminated in and used in the so-called “The New Deal” for Somalia, which was signed in Brussels during the stint of former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

This study came up with two billion dollars to be raised from donor community in a Conference somewhere in Europe on Somalia’s initial reconstruction needs as TFG was proclaimed in October 2004.

First of all, they are distinctly known for ignoring the grammar rules, particularly in removing the long vowels in words, making their written expressions ineligible. They write garowe, galkacayo, bosaso, jeriban, ahmed, Ismacil, in small initial capital letters for proper names. Secondly, they are generally fond of passive voice sentences like “wa la dhameyey, cano ku weyday, calosha ku caxanuntay, xogba lo shegtay. One would wonder whether these are Somali words. This is happening, I guess, for two reasons:

1. It is the use of the smartphones for short-hand communication.
2. It is the result of poor education in Somali schools or even lack of schooling.

When I returned to Puntland from a life of diaspora, I had decided to acquire a new Puntland driving license, although not necessarily required here or strictly enforced to have one, to be on the road driving, a dangerous situation. I went to the Ministry of Public Works in Garowe, to get a replacement of my foreign driving license. Guessing that I was a new face in town, they decided to exort some extra money for “lunch” from me beyond the required fee, thus demanding to conduct a driving test. Surprisingly, one of the questions they asked me in Somali was: ” No sheg shanta walalaha e gariga” (tell us the five brothers of the car). How would you answer such a question?

I heard some noises coming from the steering wheel of my vehicle the other day. I drove to a repair autoshop nearby to sort out the noise issue. The repairman, a man in his late thirties checked it out. He reported to me in Somali, “ciladu garigu wa bada” (your car has sea problem). I never understood an iota of what he was saying. When I asked him to explain what he meant, he had made it even more confusing. I gave up understanding him. Would he be able to fix the problem? Yes, he could and he did it.

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Since you are here, support Free Press WDM for better Somalia. Send in your subscription of $37 a year to keep this blog running. Sahal Account 496091 or e-Dahab Account 77731) Tel: +252 703 4081.

Right now, sitting at a tea-table opposite mine is a former minister of Puntland State, who is using a plastic bottle of water washing himself in preparation for Maqrib prayer in one of premium hotels in Puntland Capital City. Momentarily, I felt the temptation for advising him not to do it here. As I had a bowl of mixed fruits, I noticed that the waiter didn’t bring me napkins. Instead of waving up for a waiter to bring me some, I stood up to look for them on other tables in the hotel lobby. I located a bundle on a table in some distance. Again and surprisingly, at that table there was a young man of about 25 years of age, engaged in washing his bodies in the act of hurrying up to prayers. The practice is now a common sight in most Garowe hotels at call for prayers from numerous mosques in town, and most probably, in other establishments elsewhere in the State. Talk now about the necessary 3WWWs ( Wash your hands, Wear a mask and Watch your social distance) in this era of COVID-19.

This untraditional and unhealthy new misconduct and antisocial behavior of using hotel lobbies for washing one’s limbs has to stop immediately.

City governments in Puntland State should have a word with owners and hotel managers to curtail this bad and unhygienic practice.

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9 March 2021 – Source: Radio Ergo – AMISOM MONITORING SERVICE

Fadumo Mohamed Gelle and her husband, Ali Hussein, both blind, elderly, and displaced, have been forced to beg in the streets of the central Somali town of Abudwaq, after losing their lifeline support that used to be sent by a relative abroad. The couple depended on US $100 sent monthly by their nephew, the son of Ali’s brother, who was working in Kenya until April 2020, when he was laid off due to COVID19 and could no longer send money. “We get between US $1-$3 on good days, which we use to buy milk and sugar that we feed on for that day. Other times when we are sick, we stay home,” said Fadumo, who is guided by her grandson when she goes out. The couple lives in Salaam IDP camp, on the outskirts of Abudwaq in Galgadud region. They are also worried about the seasonal rains that are expected to start in April, as they are living in a flimsy hut made of grass that cannot withstand the rain.

As many as 750 families in Salaam camp are facing food and water shortages, with 150 of them dependent on small remittances and donations from charity organisations, as well as local casual labour jobs, that have disappeared as a result of the pandemic. Sahra Abdi Samatar, a mother of eight, depended on US $150 a month sent by her brother-in-law in the United States to support her family. But for the past seven months he has not sent anything. As she gets nothing in the camp, she now survives on dry food she begs from the shops in Abudwaq town. “We survive on one meal a day. Before, we used to cook three times, but since we stopped getting the money, we only make tea during the day and cook at night,” said Sahra, whose husband suffers from a mental health illness. Sahra’s brother-in-law and benefactor was a taxi driver in the US, where his work stopped following the upsurge of the COVID-19 outbreak there. Sahra said that COVID19 had disrupted the livelihood of her family and if their current situation persisted their lives would be miserable. “A relative has given me 10kgs of rice and sugar. We will eke that out until we get more food,” she said.

Those living in the camp who relied on small jobs have also suffered as COVID19 has resurged in Somalia. Abdi Mohamed Dahir earned a living washing cars, but since the new wave of the virus was reported in Somalia his business had dried up. “Car owners parked their cars at a specific spot where we washed them but now there are no cars. Everyone washes their car at home for fear of COVID19,” said Abdi. The chairman of Salaam camp, Indiriis Adan Abdulle, told Radio Ergo that he had formed a committee of 11 people, who are going round the camp helping needy families by providing them with cooked food contributed by others in a better situation. He said organisations had issued aid cards but no food or cash or other assistance had been received for eight months.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/?wref=bif

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“One doesn’t have to own a journalist certificate to express his opinion “, Martin Hill, Amnesty International.

I was visiting my family in London, UK, sometime in 1999. At time, I was the Chief of Staff at Puntland Presidency. The President, Abdullahi Yusuf, was in London too, for a medical checkup. While there, I received a phone call from Mr. Martin Hill of Amnesty International, who wanted to meet me about an urgent matter concerning Puntland. We met at Chamberland Hotel Central London one morning. He reported to me that a journalist was arrested in Bosaso, Puntland. Amnesty International wanted that journalist released immediately. I told him that I hadn’t had the information yet, but would get back to him on the matter. I found out that a local pamphlet writer by the name of Deeq from Mudugh Region, had published an article falsely accusing Puntland authorities of dumping illegal substances into the Indian Ocean. It was dangerous fake news that provoked the Governor of Bari Region to order the detention of the journalist. Having reported the incident to the State President in London, we ordered the release of the journalist pending President’s return to Puntland State.

On getting back to Martin Hill, I told him we had ordered the release of the journalist, but complained to him that Deeq is neither a qualified journalist nor an ethical one. Mr Hill’s response was profound: “One shouldn’t hold a certificate to express his/her opinion”. The story now is repeating itself. Read Amnesty Statement here:

Somalia: Authorities must end arbitrary arrests and persecution of journalists in Puntland

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Opinion

Nadifa Mohamed

The treatment of the duchess by the royal family is, at its core, a sign of Britain’s inability to step into the modern world

Mon 8 Mar 2021 18.16 GMT

They wanted to know how dark his skin would be. An unborn child about to enter the British royal family was already considered a potential worry and even a liability because one of his grandmothers happened to be African American, and the “stain” this might leave on his skin and their reputations had to be considered, and prepared for. These are among the many shocking revelations of Meghan and Prince Harry’s jaw-dropping interview with Oprah Winfrey.https://b8da0b329f2e6e61cb47e03d3afa39ce.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

I’m not wholly surprised that a royal family member expressed concern about the “reputational” impact of having a dark-skinned child in their midst – considering the long history of exclusion of anyone Roman Catholic, non-aristocratic or disabled from their rarefied world. Yet to add to that sense of rejection, Archie has not been given either a title or security.The behaviour towards Meghan shows Britain learned nothing from Princess Diana’s treatment.

The intensity of this royal drama is startling considering the halcyon days around the time of the engagement and wedding of Harry and Meghan just three years ago. Indeed, when Meghan Markle was first linked with Harry, she looked much like her future sister-in-law, Kate Middleton – and I, like many people, did not know that Meghan had any Black ancestry at all. The poker-straight hair, the pale skin, the thin frame and expensive style made Meghan seem just another European royal bride out of central casting. But then tabloid headlines screeching “straight outta Compton” and poring over her mother’s “slave ancestry” made it clear that she wouldn’t be treated as such. The merest suggestion of Black genes entering the bloodstream of the Saxe-Coburg-Windsor dynasty made this already fragile little country start to tear apart.

Meghan has become the ghost at the table, an unwelcome reminder of this country’s inability to step forward into a modern world where women have their own opinions and desires, where the old caste system is dismantled, where the “piccaninnies” of our prime minister’s crude imagination represent our country abroad.

It is painful for me, as a republican, to have to step out in defence of any member of the royal family but I feel as though Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is receiving the ire intended for a much larger target of young Black women who have stormed into previously closed-off institutions. I have lost count of the times that I have been told I must have been accepted to Oxford because of positive discrimination (as if the university would ever adopt such a policy, as its woefully undiverse admissions record shows).

I’ve been told I was only published because I was “exotic”; and that any award I have received is a sign of “wokeism” or decreasing discernment among judges. All of these snide comments clearly reveal more about the insecurities and resentments of those making them than anything about me, but they do make me understand why Meghan would want to withdraw from such a toxic environment.

The noise recently against “cancel culture” clearly doesn’t extend to trying to protect Black women from coordinated and relentless attacks on their looks, abilities or motivations. The rearguard instinct to protect privilege and exclusion over all else is clearly a difficult one to overcome.

It is easy for me and others to adopt a posture of defensive silence, never talking about the toll of living, studying and working in environments where we are the only ones. As an insider, the minute you do speak up you are labelled as ungrateful, conniving, nasty or just plain unworthy.

I see the regular, almost feral attacks on Meghan by media figures such as Piers Morgan and others and wonder what he would do with that anger in other situations – for example, if he taught diverse and opinionated students in a university, or worked in an inner-city hospital. His rage is so disproportionate that many people would curl up if confronted with it. Other media figures appear to dismiss the skin-tone comments as “casual racism”, as if that’s acceptable.

I remember how I learned from an early age to bite my tongue, to laugh uncomfortably, to ignore “casual” racism in particular situations, and then to vent to friends who had experienced similar things.

The conversation between Meghan and Oprah is fascinating because of the frank way they talk; a huge, global audience watches as two Black women discuss the outrageous experiences of one of them and hear all of the gory, suppressed details for the first time. Oprah gasps as she hears what Meghan and Harry have had to put up with.

An ancient British institution tamed by an unprecedented level of public scrutiny from two world-famous Black women. I never expected to see it, the silenced becoming the silencer.

Discussions take place regarding who or what Meghan is, whether she is a “Black woman” or not, whether she is facing racism or not. Whatever, the truth is that blood and all the meaning that word carries is still very important in Britain and beyond. What you look like, what your parentage is, makes you belong somewhere if you’re lucky – or face rejection if you are not.

Breeding, ancestry, caste are the building blocks of the monarchy and aristocracy and still determine who we believe is superior and inferior. I dread to think what would have happened to Meghan if she’d had the temerity to marry the heir rather than the spare.

• Nadifa Mohamed is a British-Somali novelist

Is it a warm welcome in Halane for Ahmed Madoobe, one would wonder? Or is it a deterrent for him to avoid Halane or Airport hotels here afterwards? Is it a political and war economy entering into a new pre-election phase?

Somalia is a country still in civil war by other means. Stop it!