Garowe is increasingly becoming a clan fox-hole or Goofka as the term is known in Somalia. The City is far from resembling the Seat of Puntland State, especially whenever there is a political debate or tension. In times of perils, wars, and threats to Puntland peace and security, Garowe residents take sole ownership of the town and mobilize armed rebellion and violence against the government of the day. Such continual or periodical behavior isn’t conducive to an operating environment for stable public institutions, and law and order needed for peaceful Puntland.

Therefore, one may contemplate relocating portions of government offices and international organizations to more peaceful cities. I had warned earlier that Garowe wasn’t ready to host this Parliament Session. People are now realizing this fundamental assessment of Garowe precarious security situation, and generally, obvious fragility here in maintaining a concentration of public institutions.

Unfortunately, Somalis never learn from history. Garowe historically has been an extreme clan fiefdom and a source of clan tension, initially between its own residents and between inhabitants of surrounding regions, but becoming lately politically tribalistic, land grabber and greedy.

We may recall that the city of Qardho was projected to become the Capital City of the future state of Puntland, until that town’s political and traditional establishments too messed up things and lost that historic opportunity. This clearly demonstrates the underdevelopment nature of a primitive clan society like ours.

Fortunately, there are towns in Puntland where such extreme nature of clannish contradictions could be managed and mitigated successfully. Let us think of alternative venues for building-up unhindered public institutions in the State.