Category: City Mayors

SOMALIA’S FEDERAL MEMBERS STATES ARE ALSO LITTLE MOGADISHU-LIKE CITY-STATES

Galkayo, May 28, 2019

The political narrative since the fall of Somali Government in 1991 has been focusing exclusively on blame and counter-blame of Mogadishu being the centre of all the problems of Somalia’s one city-state status. Now, we have created federal member states in regional capitals modeling exactly Mogadishu in their respective clan enclaves, doubling down and duplicating the same problems of Mogadishu all over again.

When we had been creating Puntland State in 1998, we had approved Garowe/Nugaal/Somalia as the capital city of the first federal regional state of Somalia, thinking that we had resolved finally the problems of Somalia’s one city-state legacy. We didn’t even bother enacting laws governing Garowe as a capital city publicly owned by the entire people of Puntland State and ran by the State. It was a historical oversight that led to a number of problems.

The first serious one came in 2001-2002 when Puntland had been experiencing existential constitutional crisis and violent power struggle between late President Abdullahi Yusuf and Jama Ali Jama. At time, every resident originally hailing from other parts of Puntland, had departed and fled Garowe in a hurry back to their respective towns to escape violence and armed confrontations. People from other regions of Puntland had lost business confidence and stopped building and owning properties in Garowe until very lately.

Another serious problem is the fact that Garowe have been become both the political and business centre for the entire Nugaal Region, economically suffocating other towns like Eyl, Buurtinle, Dangoroyo, and other important historical towns of Nugaal Region. Sin-u-Jiis, for instance.

Finally, came President Faroole, who had turned Puntland wholly into one city-state, just like Mogadishu City-state of Somalia.

There is still lingering public feeling of that legacy in Garowe – business confidence, though, is back on track. This is an example of a true life experience.

Other capital cities of federal member states, including Somaliland, are suffering from far worse problems than Puntland. Regional state capital cities of Federal Member States are all “little Mogadishu” in its worst scenario of 1991-1995 clan-cleasing in their sub-clan compositions statistically.

Don’t blame the “real Mogadishu” for copying and re-creating the same.

ismailwarsame.blog

CANADA: DOUG FORD DOUBLES DOWN MIKE HARRIS

Take a read:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/10-ex-ontario-health-ministers-issue-joint-letter-decrying-attack-on-public-health-1.5145835

(Imagine credit: National Post)

GU’GA RAINS LEFT LAKE-LIKE PONDS ON GAROWE STREETS

GAROWE, May 21, 2019

Perhaps other urban centres of Puntland are suffering from the same conditions in the absence of town drainage and sewage system.

GAROWE, the Capital City of the State of Puntland, which boasts of being the best city in town planning in entire Somalia, is now a keeper of ponds or semi-lakes along the streets, making difficult for the pedestrians to move or walk around, following heavy GU rainfall in the past several weeks.

Now that the Governments of Puntland and City of GAROWE are witnesses to what is happening in the streets, and annoying splashes of muddy street water on people trying to dodge the inconsiderate speeding habits of some drivers, it is high time to do some work to handle the situation. Garowe streets are unwalkable during rainy seasons.

Unacceptable proposition is that some of the best hotels in town are flooded too when it rains because of poor construction of lobby pavements. Civil engineers should take note of this professional fault

ismailwarsame.blog

PUNTLAND YOUTH FOR TOMORROW LEADERSHIP

Garowe, May 20, 2019 – Preparation of Puntland youth for tomorrow’s leadership roles or lack of it will determine the survival, well-being and Progress of PUNTLAND State as the main foundation pillar and leader in the making of a New Somalia.

Now, here in PUNTLAND, I don’t see much enthusiasm for youth programs. I don’t see sports clubs, TV and radio programs for youth, youth debating societies, youth social clubs, fitness clubs, youth intern services for jobs in both public and private sectors, inter-cities organized tours for youth etc.

TV and Radio programs should be predominantly geared towards youth, for 75% of PUNTLAND population are youth. They must own the programs of Puntland airwaves and organize them for their own desire and interests. You cannot run programs for adults when your population is two-thirds youth.

What is required here is public-private partnership to pro-actively start working on and building facilities and infrastructure for youth preparation for the jobs and leadership roles of the future. It would be a total failure of responsibilities and gross negligence on the part of Puntland political and business establishments, as well as parents, not to do so, starting now.

The Education Sector and City Councils have to lead the way for organizing youth into these multi-faceted programs for preparation and cultivation of their potentialities for tomorrow leadership. Let us get started now.

Local and international Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Puntland are not doing enough in this regard. They are not helping Puntland prepare youth for the future. Until they engage youth in their programs and projects, their operations in Puntland would remain questionable.

https://ismailwarsame.blog