Month: August 2022

Analysis | Merrick Garland seeks to call Trump’s bluff

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/11/garland-trump-warrant-unseal/

PRESIDENT MOHAMUD’S GRUDGES AGAINST SOMEONE OR COMMUNITY GO ALL THE WAY TO APPOINTING ILHAN OMAR’S EX-HUSBAND

President Hassan Mohamud’s Villa Somalia seems to be engaged in a feud with someone or community hard to fathom. Multiple cabinet appointments he made recently to the ire of leaders of the Federal Member States look like he is picking a fight that seems to undermine their authorities. This kind of political shenanigans is called “Dagaal Shaanshiyeed in Somali language political jargon (an attack below the belt). Appointing the ex-husband of Ilhan Omar as his senior adviser without indicating any area of expertise is not only ethically wrong, but can also be interpreted as ill-motive on the part of the President.

Ilhan Omar is a powerful Representative from Minnesota’s 5th District Electoral Riding, who is serving in the US Congress Foreign Relations Committee, and she won’t tolerate such a problem children to harm Somali-US cooperation for peace and security in the Horn of Africa.

One would only speculate that the New Appointee will not conspire against the mother of his own kids. At the least that is the common sense, contrary to the motive of his new boss. Here, nobody is suggesting that Abdisalam has no rights and equal opportunity to get hired as a Somali citizen, but his political appointment as Mohamud’s Team Member sounds fishy to independent observers. Initial reports from persons familiar with or briefed on this appointment said that Abdisalam would be working on a government project involving inter-parliamentary relations with the US, a personal capacity too ambitious for him as he had had neither the connections beyond his ex-wife nor the experiences to deliver on such government mission.

Presidential Decree on the appointment of Ex-husband of Senator Ilhan Omar

MASSIVE POPULAR DEMONSTRATIONS IN SOMALILAND

Public demonstrations are taking place in all major towns of Somaliland. Violent clashes resulting at least three deaths in Hargeisa and Erigabo are confirmed by the police. Dozens were reportedly wounded. The issue is about which comes first, chicken or egg? Reform of political parties or holding presidential poll? Failing to reach consensus on the issue has led to this political confrontation between the Regime of President Muse Bihi Abdi and political parties.

The elephant in the room, however, is the fact that the Gooni-isu-Taagii Somaliland (secession or unilateral declaration of Somaliland independence) has come to a dead end. Diminishing returns for Somaliland “project” have led to the flight of thousands of Somaliland youth to either perish in the highest seas or move to other parts of larger Somalia, seeking livelihoods and opportunities.

President Muse Bihi behaves like inexperienced soldier playing with gun fire. He should be careful about initiating renewed clan wars in that part of Somalia.

SOMALIS ARE LUCKY STILL TO EXIST IN THE COUNTRY

A strange man, sitting across at my teatable, and suspecting I was from the diaspora, asked me the other day, “what is the strangest thing you noticed in Somalia since you came back?” That was a question I didn’t expect, and I must admit that I was almost helpless to come up with any response. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, I uttered an equally surprising answer: “Somalis don’t pay attention to studying and preserving their national heritage”. They seem to be borrowing lifestyles from the Arabs and West. He said that he didn’t look at Somali traditions and customs that way. A colleague of mine joined us right there at that moment and sat beside me. I informed him that the other gentleman sitting opposite us whom I met first time asked me what was the strangest thing I have noticed in Somalia lately. “Why didn’t you tell him that five livelihoods Somalis depend on are livestock, fish, frankincense, agriculture and environment. None of them constitute a priority for their care. Do you think Somalis will survive in the long-term?” My colleague lectured. I was dumbfounded to suddenly realize the fundamental fact exposed and how common sense it was.

Consider the facts that there were no vocational schools or colleges in fishery, livestock, frankincense, farming and the environment, critical areas of our survival in this country as human species. There are no records or historical references and statistics on these livelihoods for centuries.

The irony of our existence is how come we never consider this truth about our paradoxical existence? Is it too late to do something about it?

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are all wrong-headed in life. Let us seek salvation for our continued survival by paying more attention and care to our livelihoods.

Article: Donald Trump’s home raided by FBI agents

Donald Trump’s home raided by FBI agents https://f7td5.app.goo.gl/ZT1dfh Sent via @updayUK

HSM NEEDS TO LEARN THE ROPES OF DIPLOMACY

WDM EDITORIAL

You don’t go to visit a foreign country and start negotiations at the top as a Head of State or Head of Government. Instead, you send diplomats and subject-matter experts upfront to prepare and negotiate on behalf of your government. Then, the head of your government goes there for photo opportunity and signing ceremony. The 2nd option is to select respective teams to work out together the details of possible agreement upon arrival of the delegation for signature and joint press briefing by the heads of State or Heads of government. That is how it works and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud should abandon amateur foreign visits and adequately prepare before he leaps into diplomatic fiasco. Look at what had happened in Uganda only yesterday, with two Heads of State negotiating and washing their dirty linens in Public.

What is amazing to note here is that Mohamud and Museveni press briefing was about military and security situation in Somalia, an issue that should be kept close to chest. This is good news for the extremists and enemies of Somali peace and stability monitoring Mohamud’s hasty foreign adventures. To President Mohamud: If you are unable to learn and grow, don’t try to lead.

Watch: https://youtu.be/5x22ct9PFNg.

Postscript

Here we go again. Look carefully at this photo. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud meeting with US Defence Secretary Austin. On the Somali side, who is attending? His Chief of Staff and rightly the Somali Ambassador to Washington. But, what has happened to Mohamud’s security and military personnel? A Somali cameraman is out of place in this meeting. He shouldn’t be there. Mohamud is either doing these diplomatic and protocol irregularities intentionally, or he is damn inert to learn the art of diplomacy and statecraft. Why isn’t there the Somali Foreign Minister?

U.S. STRATEGY TOWARDS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Take a read. Download it here.

wp-1660029462601Download

Possible andImpossible Solutionsto Ethnic Civil WarsChaim Kaufmann

Download it here

wp-1660027979430Download

WARSAME DIGITAL MEDIA WDM

WDM thrives on encouragement and support of the people of Somalia, friends, colleagues and subscribers. Our plan is to build a large media network to reach at our objectives of informing our society and to expose misuse of power and public resources. We sometimes turn to the pages of Somali history. We have a long way to go yet in these endeavors. We thank you all for support.

Article: War in Ukraine set to enter ‘new phase’ as Russian forces massing in south, UK says

War in Ukraine set to enter ‘new phase’ as Russian forces massing in south, UK says https://f7td5.app.goo.gl/Gf7bM9 Sent via @updayUK

PUNTLAND LEFT BEHIND IN EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES

WDM EDITORIAL

In an early article from this blog, https://ismailwarsame.blog/2022/07/31/the-bleak-situation-of-readership-in-somalia/, we articulated that people who don’t read isn’t only literally backward, but it is also safe to say that they will have no future because they will not only lose their freedoms, but also their country. Tell me any county of nomadic population, which had established a strong nation. You won’t find one. Why? Besides their backward ways of existence, they don’t go to school to learn new and modern ways to make societal progress?

Although Puntland education was lagging behind Mogadishu and Somaliland, we hear these days that even textbooks for students whose primary and secondary schools were historically struggling to stay open, are beyond reach of already poor purchasing power of these students and families. Certain social media and radio broadcasts are reporting stress signals and interviews from parents on the issue. Some even speculate that mercyless and politically connected Puntland merchants are exploiting the situation with sales offer of more than fifty US dollars a class. Such prizes even in rich countries are not acceptable.This is worse than loanshark business, taking advantage of poor and low income population. Health sector fares no better either with Puntland sick traveling long distances to Hargeisa, Mogadishu and beyond.

Puntland Government must step in to address the alarming state of affairs with education, health and other important social services sectors.

ETHIOPIA’S “BUFFER ZONE”FOREIGN POLICY THEORY TOWARDS FAILED STATE OF SOMALIA

“IT IS GRATIFYING TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN WHAT YOUR SEEMINGLY FRIENDS THEN WERE DOING OR UPTO“, Ismail Warsame

Seyoum Mesfin, the late long-serving Ethiopian Minister for foreign affairs and Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, and Abdeta Beyene, Executive Director of Ethiopia’s Center for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRD) and Director General of the same ministry, were people I knew and interacted with, as a member of the National Salvation Council (Sodare Group) 1996-1997, and as an official of Puntland Government (1998-2004). These two gentlemen authored an essay published in American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Daedalus) and called it “The Practicality of Living with Failed States“. The issue is mainly explaining Ethiopian foreign policy towards the “Failed State of Somalia”. The authors had extensively deliberated how Ethiopia has been infiltrating into and meddling in the internal affairs of Somalia, using the excuse of lack of capacity on the part of Somalia to maintain internal stability and security at its borders with other countries like Ethiopia and Kenya. The authors tried to broaden the concept of Ethiopian Foreign Policy intervention of “Buffer Zone” (areas of influence and proxies) establishment as an academic discourse worthy of publication in reputable journals.

What is particular interesting in this essay is the unexpected and frank exposure of Ethiopian Foreign Policy towards different state and non-state actors inside Somalia, some of which they had intentionally created and others so formed on their own to provide “Buffer Zone” for Ethiopia’s security against Alshabab and other extremist groups. In dealing with stateless Somalia, the terms of sovereignty and territorial intergrity had lost any constraints in the thinking of Ethiopian policy makers, and paradoxically suggest to the international community some lessons to learn from Ethiopian experiences outside the constructs of international law and relations. Because of the security threats to Ethiopia from Somali regions of Gedo, Bay and Bakool, through the use of extremists as launching areas for attacks against neighboring countries, they said Ethiopia had to occupy forcefully these regions and create proxies like Raxanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) and SNF, according to the paper by these men. In Mogadishu, they claimed that Ethiopian forces entered to wipe out Islamic Courts Union (ICU) after it had threatened Ethiopia, and to support the fledgling Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG). They also claimed that Ethiopian authorities helped Somali regional federal state in Central Somalia and South West after Ethiopia had benefitted from the security and stability in Puntland and Somaliland. They said, after some delay, Ethiopia helped Sunna Wal-Jamaac Group in its fighting with Alshabab, and to reconcile the group with Galmudugh authorities, which was treated as a buffer zone for Ethiopia.

The overarching objective of this exposition was to explain why Ethiopia was interfering in the internal affairs of Somalia, regardless of the letter and spirit of the International Law. Finally, they also asserted that Kenya was creating its own buffer zones with Somalia too, but unlike Ethiopia, Kenya was using Somali local Ogaden politicians to invade Jubaland. However, corruption had weakened Kenya’s efforts to manage its buffer zones successfully.

I would say, as a long time observer of this policy, there is nothing new here other than the frankness of the authors of this essay, for Ethiopia has been historically hell-bent to weaken and isolate Somalia from Emeror Menelik, onwards. Somali armed opposition fronts of SSDF, SNM, USC and others in the 1980s, were part of the proxies Ethiopia has been using, although to the opposition, there was no other option, but to work with the devil in order to get rid of Barre’s oppressive Military Regime in Mogadishu then.

WDM ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE

Read or Listen to Ismail Warsame Books and Audiobooks

https://www.scribd.com/author/514715674/Ismail-Warsame

JOIN WARSAME DIGITAL MEDIA WDM

Warsame Digital Media WDM is delivering the goods. Join us and subscribe below:

Kindly send your annual subscription fee to

+252 90 703 4081 or 252 71 681 4371 or 252 66 679 45 48.

Thank you.

WHY HANDING POWER TO UNTESTED SOMALI POLITICIANS HAS BEEN THE DISASTER THE COUNTRY COULDN’T STAND ON ITS FEET FOR DECADES

This is profound understatement of the year. Somalis never learned that choosing untested politicians is the most dangerous risk society could do to harm their nation. It is equally true that those politicians, who have been tested failure could never be allowed to return to politics. This is a chronic problem that supercedes everything else and prevents public accountability in any field of human endeavors in Somalia. This is a troubled country with no remedy possible in the foreseeable future. To fix Somalia’s governance is increasingly becoming like filling up a bottomless barrel. Why on earth we habitually choose unknown new quantities, losers and failures as our leaders? To name names of these real losers in this short article would become problematic because of this culture of impunity for these losers to avoid accountability and through vetting to hold public office.

For heaven’s sake, how a Head of State or Head of Government in his right mind embrace a terrorist leader in government? Who would work with him when he taints his administration with the inclusion of terrorist figures? Even worse is the state of mind of these men in their consideration for selection of Cabinet members. How sadistic and ill-motive it was! Roobow isn’t reportedly alone in this Cabinet selection- they are at least two or more, who have links to the terror group.

What about the incompetence of regional leaders who have no idea of how their societies function, and prone to administrative and political blunders every move they make?

It looks that Somalia is the home of a dystopian society thriving in shameless corruption as a way of life, mediocrity, primative societal existence and permanent disfunction, no matter how much resources and thinking you put into it.

How to fix such problems? Local and national elections are the remedy we are searching for. Do you have an alternative? Democratic and egalitarian nations couldn’t find an alternative to giving power to the people to choose their own leaders.

Warsame Digital Media ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE

Download it here:
Interview WDMDownload

Dear Subscribers,

Kindly send us WDM Annual subscription Fee of US$37 to Sahal Account at +252 90 703 4081 or MyCash at 71 681 4371, Garowe, Puntland. or/and, ECVPLUS at +252 61 588 388, Mogadishu, Somalia.

WDM ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE

Kindly send your annual subscription fee to

+252 90 703 4081 or 252 71 681 4371 or 252 66 679 45 48.

Thank you.

Somalis join WDM in congratulations to Ismail and Munira on Primaries victory in Ohio State, USA.

HSM’S ELECTION CAMPAIGN PROMISES BROKEN

“XASAN SHIIKH MAXAMUUD INTUU YAQAANAY WAA DHAAFTAY” (Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is doing more than he could handle).

“Wada Ogool” (Governing by Consensus) and “Soomaali Wada Heshiis ah, Dunidana Heshiis la ah” (Somalis in agreement with themselves and with the world community) were big slogans and promises President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud repeatedly uttered during his presidential campaign for election or re-election, given he broke the Somali Doctrine for the first time in Somali history (winning re-election). That was quite impressive. But election campaign promises became inconvenient to keep once elected, and now he is doubling-down on Former President Farmajo’s disdain for consensus building and working with Federal Member States. Strangely, he started governing by non-stop foreign visits without his new government in place, something even Farmajo couldn’t do. He made high profile appointments immediately after he was sworn-in. It took him more than a month to screen out able and potential candidates for efficient Cabinet. While he was busy in unilateral decision-making on Cabinet formation and foreign visits without even his foreign policy team instituted, a few things were happening:

  1. Alshabab got bolder and deadlier;
  2. Ethiopia stepped in to reconnect with Federal Member States;
  3. Scramble for Miraa import from Kenya was occurring in Mogadishu among supporters and non-supporters of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu.

Since his campaign promises meant nothing now, political cynicism sets in in most Somali regions. It looks that Mohamud didn’t take advantage of popular optimism generated by the recent change of guard in Villa Somalia. Can he mend things and regain lost momentum? Some observers say that HSM’s mind on governance is already set like his predecessor, but in the case of HSM, he is a micromanager, who wouldn’t delegate even to his Prime Minister.

Have your say.

HISTORY WILL ALWAYS CATCH-UP WITH SOMEONE

Neighborly Security Tension at border with Somalia

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH SOMALI-ETHIOPIAN RELATIONS AND AT SOMALI FRONTIER?

WDM EDITORIAL

It looks that Ethiopia is back on its past tracks to infiltrate and divide Somalis in order to weaken Somalia. In Hargeisa and elsewhere in the Federal Member States, public visits by Ethiopian security officers are being conducted. Whether it is security concern on the part of Abyi Government, given recent attacks by Al-Shabab in Southern and Eastern Ethiopian boundary line, or provocative move to destabilize President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Government for geopolitical reasons, isn’t clear yet. One thing is known – President Mohamud had close relations with Tigray Regime of Ethiopia and that is enough justification and reasoning for an African despot to get suspicious and annoyed. Tigrayan Provincial leaders were among the first to congratulate President Mohamud on his victory in the recent Somalia’s Presidential Race.

Whatever the case may be, Somalia has to mend its neighborly relations with Ethiopia. Somalia’s relationships with Ethiopia carry huge historical burden and shared cultural heritage that require careful consideration and risk management exercises. Hassan Sh. Mohamud must rise up to the occasion to improve relations with Ethiopia and outgrow Tigrayan hangover.

Ethiopian Chief Security Officer in Hargeisa

WHY MUKHTAR ROOBOW WAS SELECTED FOR CABINET POST IN MOHAMUD’S GOVERNMENT

According to informed sources, a debate has ensued recently on how to confront and defeat Al-Shabab ideologically. Mohamud’s advisers recommended a number of religious figures to choose from to be offered a ministerial portofolio. Finally, a consensus has been reached to consider one of Al-Alshabab’s approachable figures. They zeroed upon Mukhtar Roobow, a government prisoner, and former Al-shabab leader and commander of its Amniyat elite force, a well trained regular army of the extremist group. They are trained in all terrorist skills in sabotage, ambushes, assassinations, explosions, etc. Whoever commands Amniyat, commands Alshabab. Other militants include Hisba (police), martyrs or suiciders, and pay-as-you-go foot soldiers. There are also Mujahirin or migrant military trainers. Al-shabab expressed loyalty to Al-Qaeda and joined the international terrorist organization when Mukhtar Roobow, Abu Mansur, was active commander/leader.

In appointing Mukhatar Roobow, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his team of advisors didn’t take into account the political quagmire they were getting into, reactions of the world press and negative take of the issue by the diplomatic community in designating a world class terrorist leader as government minister. Who would work with a former terrorist leader? What message does it send out to law-abiding citizens of this country? Why pullute the body-politic of this country? President Mohamud should immediately ask Roobow to tender his resignation for the good of this nation.

Obviously, President Mohamud vaguely understands the intrigues and complexity of international relations. All Somali political leaders are prone to this accident as expertise in any field isn’t sought for. President Mohamud could have opted for a less controversial religious figure instead.

Another Mohamud’s agenda was political vendetta against those leaders of the Federal Member States, who supported former President Farmajo. Roobow is coming into the mix to undermine Laftegreen in the South West, Galmudugh Qoor Qoor by bringing in his opponent Fiqi, the Interior Minister designate. Puntland and Jubaland have been always targets for Mohamud’s tribal agenda. The Cabinet list was reportedly compiled by a Damul-Jadid colleague of Mohamud, Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, known to Somalis by his nickname, Farah Sakin (Farah the scissor), who installed himself in the important portofolio of education, a priority in Mohamud’s policy. It is also rumored that there is a shadow government in place, monitoring all ministries and having real authority as published cabinet list is for public consumption only. Most ministries have Mohamud’s men and women as junior ministers. Check it out yourself.

HISTORICAL FACT FOR ALL TO NOTE

Abdullahi Yusuf (RIP), the Late President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was a Somali leader that had the greatest impact on Somalia’s political scene historically. What Somalis are doing and debating on now is his work in terms of governance, federalism, construction of federal member states, fighting extremism, religious sectarianism etc. Truly, he was a historical giant, whether all Somalis are willing to accept, honor him or not.

Nobody could come near him, whether it was Sayed Mohamed Abdulle Hassan or Siyad Barre.

Abullahi Yusuf was the founder of the 2nd Somali Republic (The Federal Republic of Somalia). He was the first Somali leader who formed and led the First Somali Opposition Front ( the Somali Salvation Democratic Front SSDF) against the Military Dictatorship of General Mohamed Siyad Barre with a vision to transform Somalia into a democratic state. He later founded Puntland State of Somalia, the first federal member state, before becoming the president of the Transitional Federal Government, the TFG (current Somali Federal Republic). Under his watch, needs assessment research for Somalia’s reconstruction and development Program (RDP) was launched by the UN and World Bank, leading to the New Deal by international donor community signed in Brussels with the pledge of US$2 billion. It was based on that research. It came through later as Somali government was recognized after transition.

We are reminding people of this historical fact, in response to a WDM Subscriber, who has raised the issue in another context.

Have your say.

WHY HASSAN SHEIKH MOHAMUD ISN’T OPEN-MINDED

So, the long awaited list of Somali Federal Government Cabinet is finally out. Here it is:

1- Saalax Axmed Jaamac, Ra’iisul Wasaare ku-xigeen
2- Mukhtaar Rooboow Abuu Mansuur, Wasiirka Awqaafta iyo Diinta
3- Xasan Macallin, Wasiirka Cadaaladda iyo Dastuurka
4- Axmed Macallin Fiqi, Wasiirka Arrimaha Gudaha
5- Dr. Cilmi Maxamuud Nuur, Wasiirka Maaliyadda
6- Cabduqaadir Maxamed Nuur (Jaamac), Wasiirka Gaashaandhigga
7- Abshir Cumar Huruuse, Wasiirka Arrimaha Dibadda iyo Iskaashiga Caalamiga
8- Faarax Sheekh Cabdulqaadir, Wasiirka Waxbarashada iyo Tacliinta Sare
9- Maxamuud Cabdiraxmaan Beena Beene, Wasiirka Qorsheynta iyo Maalgashiga
10 -Jaamac ilka Jiir, Wasiirka Dekedaha iyo Gaadiidka
11 -Fardowsa Cismaan Dhoore, Wasiirka Gaadiidka Cirka iyo Dhulka
12- Jaamac Xasan Khaliif, Wasiirka Boosatada iyo Isgaarsiinta
13- Xasan Xuseen Eelaay, Wasiirka Xananaada Xoolaha
14- Jibriil Cabdirashiid, Wasiirka Ganacsiga Warshadaha
15- Ismaaciil Sheekh Bashiir, Wasiirka Howlaha Guud iyo Gureyenta
16 -Khadiija Maxamed Diiriye, Wasiirka Haweenka
17- Dr. Crisaaq Cumar Maxamed, Wasiirka Batroolka iyo Macdanta
18- Maxamuud Doodishe, Wasiirka Amniga Gudaha
19- Axmed Madoobe Nuunoow, Wasiirka Beeraha iyo Waraabka
20 – Cali Xaaji Aadan, Wasiirka Caafimaadka
21- Axmed Xasan Aadan, Wasiirka Kalluumeysiga iyo Kheyeaadka Badda
22- Daa’uud Aweys Wasiirka Warfaafinta
23 – Biixi Iimaan Cige. Wasiirka Shaqada iyo Shaqaalaha
24 – Jaamac Taqal, Wasiirka Korontada iyo Biyaha
25- Maxamed Barre Maxamuud, Wasiirka Dhallinyarada iyo Ciyaraaha
26- Khadiija Al-Makhzuumi, Wasiirka Bay’adda iyo isbddelka Cimiladda

Looking at composition of this list and underservingly prolonged time it took to produce, it is obvious that there has been deep screening to find persons who had no experience, or having no knowledge of business or public office expertise, with only few exceptions. Here, one is tempted to recall a Somali saying: “A mountain has been laboring painfully for days, and finally gave birth to a rat”.

We don’t want to get into the description and analysis of other constituencies from which President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has drawn the list of members of the New Cabinet, although we are fairly sure that some of the other constituencies fare no better in Mohamud’s selection or choice for his enterprise than Puntland. The few appointed ministers from Puntland include General Ilkajir, Fardowsa Osman Egal, Abshir Huruse and Hange, among one or two more. Those who haven’t yet looked at this selection from Puntland constituency, will discover that none of them, save General Ilkajir, has anything or experience to bring to Hamse Cabinet, a man who is nominally the “Prime Minister” of Somalia, but actually a decoy to deceive people. They have been cleaverly picked up by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to screen out any able candidates from Puntland State. Some people may argue otherwise. Be fair to Mohamud’s appointees, I agree. But, tell us what experience, skills or knowledge a still single young girl, Fardowsa Osman Egal, would bring to the Cabinet or her portofolio? What about Abshir Huruse, the Foreign Minister designate? How would he be able to handle Somali foreign affairs and diplomacy in this complex world of conflict, wars and ideological confrontation, when he had never held public office before? Hange was a junior minister in Said Deni’s Cabinet here in Puntland. As a Deputy Minister in Hamse’s Cabinet, that may be ok. But, still there are others more qualified.

To make a long story short, like most politicians of Somali origin, Mohamud’s concern in governance and leadership is personal, biased and prejugemental. As a student of Somali Civil War and religious sectarianism, he is daring, though, in carrying out his unbalanced political agenda, given the chance. After all, it wasn’t a long ago during his first term as Federal President that he fought hard to derail the formation of Jubaland Administration, and only accepted it after Jubaland President Madoobe had offered him some Hawiye members in Jubaland Cabinet and House of Representatives in a non-Hawiye constituency.

Finally, one Somali observer put the percentage at 45 of the total 26 cabinet members, who belonged to now defunct Union of Islamic Courts (Islamic Court Union, ICU). Amazing! Mr Mohamud had also managed to stuff his men into most key ministries like petroleum, education, security, interior, planning and others. He has eliminated the Ministry of Human Affairs and Disaster Management to give leeway to his Special Envoy, Abdirahman Abdishakur.

As a graduate of General Aideed’s ideology on ethnic cleansing and marginalization, he is committed to getting even more biased towards his own constituency. I can bet my money on this. Recall what tribalistic ideology of SOMALI CONCERN, HAWIYE ACTION GROUP (HAG) and SOMALI DIASPORA ALLIANCE, among other hate groups, HSM adhered to in the past. He was sympathetic to ICU as well and allowed militarily untrained SIMAD College students to fight alongside ICU militants against the Somali Transitional Federal Government. These young kids were decimated by the defending Ethiopian forces at Baydhaba City vanity in 2006. The decision to fight along ICU, Alshabab and Alqaeda militants by Al-Islah splinter group led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud led to the rise of a faction called “Damul-Jadid. Watch out!

[This article was updated since posting].

TWO FATEFUL NIGHTS FOR PUNTLAND FOUNDATION

Towards the celebration of Puntland Day.

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2015/08/30/two-fateful-nights-for-puntland-foundation/

24TH ANNIVERSARY OF PUNTLAND, A MILESTONE IN LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENT

Over the past few months, I have been sharing with you stories, articles on critical analysis on political developments and major governance issues, news, essays, history, etc, on the foundation of Puntland State of Somalia in August 1998, and the 2nd Somali Republic, the Federal Republic of Somalia, established in 2004, with the express intention of writing our history and role of Puntland in the revival of Somalia as a sovereign nation. That is because, if we don’t write our own history, especially in contemporary records as does Warsame Digital Media WDM, to claim our historical achievements in that regard, someone else would write it for us. It would be impossible to re-write or re-claim those missed opportunities later.

I would, therefore, urge you to put into record all that you know about Puntland contributions to history-making events in Somalia’s revival, survival, safeguarding its sovereignity and unity.

24 years on since its inception and Puntland is still engaged in rebuilding not only its own local public institutions, but also those of the Federal Government. For those who fear the potential failure of Puntland as self-governing entity, they would rediscover that the State is a historically developed concept or idea that will rise up again and again after each challenge. The obvious weakness in its governance and unity of its founding regions is a temporary political dynamics that may need time and healing, after which Puntland would only get steeled like hot iron thrusted into cold water.

In my experience as the First Chief of Staff at Puntland Presidency, I recall a conversation I had with US diplomat then, after one year of Puntland existence, in which I informed him the residents of Puntland State had more arms and weapon than the government, and the State was peaceful because of its legitimacy. He responded: “It sounds like you are talking about US Government”.