By Ismail H. Warsame Somalia did not adopt federalism because politicians suddenly embraced decentralization. It adopted federalism because centralized rule destroyed the Somali state. The Provisional Constitution was meant to ensure that no government in Mogadishu could again dominate the rest of the country through patronage, coercion, or clan politics.Yet that is precisely what many … Continue reading The Goofka Doctrine: Federalism Under Siege →
https://ismailwarsame.substack.com/p/e-presidency-has-failed-somalia-time
A WDM-Style Editorial Essay For more than six decades, Somalis have searched for better leaders. They have changed presidents, prime ministers, constitutions, political systems, military rulers, transitional governments, and federal arrangements. Yet the country remains trapped in the same vicious cycle of dictatorship, corruption, clan patronage, institutional collapse, and recurring political crises.Perhaps Somalis have been … Continue reading The Presidency Has Failed Somalia: Time to Abolish the Office Before It Abolishes the Country →
I write because Somalia deserves honest analysis, not comforting illusions.After serving as Chief of Staff at the Puntland State Presidency (1998–2004) and later with the UN and World Bank Joint Secretariat for Somalia’s Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP), followed by service as National Aid Technical Coordinator (NATCO) with the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) … Continue reading About →
A WDM Editorial As fighting unfolds between the Puntland Defence Forces (PDF) and rebellious elements of the Puntland Security Force (PSF), one dangerous temptation must be resisted above all others: do not reduce this confrontation to a sub-clan grievance.That would not merely be intellectually lazy; it would be politically reckless.The bullets flying around Bosaso are … Continue reading Beyond the Gunfire: The PDF–PSF Confrontation Is a Failure of Governance, Not a Clan War →
The significance of Laag extends far beyond a military engagement outside Bosaso. It reaches back to the very philosophy upon which Puntland was founded in 1998.From its inception, Puntland rejected the warlordism that had consumed southern Somalia following the collapse of the Somali state in 1991. While Mogadishu descended into the rule of competing militias, … Continue reading Historical Perspective: Puntland Was Founded on the Principle of One State, One Force →
By WDM Editorial Board History has an unforgiving habit: when its lessons are ignored, it returns—not as memory, but as reality.That is the uncomfortable question confronting Somalia today. Can anyone honestly explain how Mogadishu under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud fundamentally differs from Mogadishu under the old United Somali Congress (USC), when General Mohamed Farah Aydeed … Continue reading Mogadishu Repeating Itself: Has Somalia Returned to the USC Era? →
By WDM Editorial Board Reports of armed confrontation between armed forces in Laag, outside Bosaso City, are deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable. Whatever the immediate trigger, one fact remains beyond dispute: Puntland cannot tolerate competing centres of armed power. Political disagreements are inevitable in every society; private armies are not. This is not simply another … Continue reading Disarm Them All Before It Is Too Late: Puntland Cannot Afford Another Armed Challenge →
By Ismail H. Warsame The recent agreement between the Puntland Government, DP World (Dubai Ports) and the merchant community over cargo charges at Bosaso Port is a welcome development. After days of tension that threatened to disrupt Puntland’s busiest commercial gateway, the government demonstrated flexibility by reducing the disputed fees, while merchants accepted a compromise … Continue reading Bosaso’s Calm, Garowe’s Warning: Why Economic Compromise Cannot Substitute for Security Cohesion →
-Part II- Learning from Successful States Somalia need not search for solutions in theory alone. History offers numerous examples of societies that successfully reduced the political importance of ethnicity, tribe, religion, or regional identity without attempting to erase them altogether. Singapore inherited a deeply divided society consisting of Chinese, Malays, Indians, and other minority communities. … Continue reading Beyond the Clan: Why Somalia’s Future Depends on Making Citizenship More Important Than Lineage →
