October 9, 2019
Those, who are still talking about Federalism in Somalia are way behind the times. Federalism is history here, at least in the minds of Somali thinkers. That is because N&N Government managers have been interpreting federalism to mean nothing more than a dictatorship by a city-state in the same way former Somali leaders ruled, until the fall of the Military Regime in 1991.
The debate is now raging on, on how to implement a fair and reliable governance formula consistent with Somali values as confederal system.
Confederation is a term understandable to most Somalis as confederate clans existed throughout Somali history. Raxanweyn or digil&Mirifle, Isaaq, Cawl-Yahan of Ogaden etc, are all confederate clans respectively, not blood-related. They are purely political confederates – even Hawiye is a confederate of clans.
Now, we are debating on macro-confederates at state level based on Somali traditional history and anthropology to officially formulate confederalism as the most suitable system of government.
As a starting point, the Provisional Federal Constitution must be revised to reflect on that reality with constitutionally defined powers for the shared central authority and confederal member states.
The future prime ministers of the shared central authority of Somalia should come from confederal member states on rotational order at consultations of confederal member states and the shared Somali central authority. The President of the shared central authority should be elected by all confederal member states in a national electoral process through one-person-one-vote. Choosing one of the leaders of confederal member states includes in this arrangement. Example, Dubai Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed, is the Prime Minister of UAE.
Confederalism is a native idea whose time and yours have come at right moment. Seize it.
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