By Ismail Warsame
Opinion Columnist
Puntland State has no longer the unique historical advantages of traditional SELF-GOVERNMENT. The region has come to the end of the road with the ascent of new generations of junior elders replacing the old guard. The future of the state looks bleak as a result of political stagnation that kept these inexperienced tribal elders to remain relevant to the political system of the state, a situation far removed from the traditional roles of peace-keeping and peace-making among the clans. During the foundation of Puntland State, seeking grassroot support amid the civil war was essential and couldn’t had been done otherwise. But we fully knew that the job of a tribal elder wasn’t to select members of parliament and build institutions of a state. At the time, it meant to be a short-term arrangement, given the difficult circumstance we were in. Moreover, a government lacking checks and balance of power, on the top of the above systemic vicious cycle, will not survive much longer.
Until Puntland moves to holding general elections as soon as it is practical, we are progressing backwards with unpredictable and dangerous consequences of state failure again, this time with existential threat of not to be.
What had made Puntland historically unique in Somalia’s politics was the progressive nature of its residents to reform, renovate and re-think options for self-government. That is now finally being threatened.
Have your say.
https:/amazon.com/author/ismailwarsame
ismailwarsame.blog 