Hiiraan Online

Mr. Abdullahi’s failure has some lessons for the newly appointed Prime Minister, Dr. Abdiweli. who has impeccable qualifications in many aspects and let’s hope he has the cunningness and sheer fortitude needed in his new post. The failures he should confront point to five core issues, at least in my humble view. Surely, it’s easy to pinpoint failures from the arm chair position and in hindsight, but sometimes it helps to analyze issues from outside of the arena.

Bureaucratic Burden

Every new government formation in Somalia failed because of its bureaucratic configuration of bloated figurehead ministerial posts and parliament seats. On the other hand, contrast that to their nimble and less bureaucratic ridden adversaries who don’t adhere to such formations and are consequently unburdened by tribal appeasements unlike the big inefficient tent.

To overcome that, any new government instead of resorting to the usual ministerial mumbo jumbo should adopt a nimble council system as a junta in exile government or scrum project management methodologies. For example, they could adopt the council system of; peace and reconciliation council, economic council, and institution building council while letting the councils themselves to elect their own leaders through consensus and aptitude. No need to follow the vain His/her Excellency Minister of Tourism, just imagine that! Thus, a new paradigm shift should be in order in this front that also adapts to the current political crisis mode in the country. Then, the only problem they could face is, on the constitutional front and hopefully that could be finessed during this interim period as the constitution is more geared for the permanent period.

Financial Resources

All new governments because of their bureaucratic formations need tremendous financial infusions to operate, hence, the reliance on the West and Arab countries to finance those operations. Contrast that to their adversaries who are mainly self reliant and have genuine indifference—at least in the short term- in fat salaries or security comfort to achieve their goals as they’re ideologically driven at this stage and are the aggressors.

If the smart men (Mostly men btw) expect to make a change by waiting for aid from the West they must be very misguided as the West is going through tough economic times and can barely bail out themselves out of debt, let alone help anyone else.  Even though, lately there has been some activity from Washington to focus on Somalia, namely through drone attacks and more diplomatic fronts (persuading Nigeria to send more troops), I believe it’s still not that hopeless to knock hard on some more doors. But also, it wouldn’t hurt to look to the East (The Gulf, China, and Malaysia etc..) as these countries are flush with money and have an eye on Africa and are mostly concerned with the piracy on the high seas.  Despite all of the above suggestions, self reliance is the key, but at the same time the hardest in these conditions.

No Out of the Box Thinking

Before any good-will government takes office, there’s no ground work already in place, such as reliable security force and capable workforce to carry out quick and decisive actions. All new governments start from zero and are almost doomed from the get go. Thus, this new government needs new thinking rather than follow the same old failed ideas of the ones that preceded it. For instance, the over-reliance on training new police and soldiers takes time and eventually those forces never engage the adversary, that thinking always deluded the past well doers.

Instead, why not revive and execute the plan once mentioned in the media of using mercenaries and the abundant local militia who are not trained as soldiers or police force but would need few basic principles of discipline and monthly salaries.  This could be financed from the airport, port revenues, and other taxes if the well doers wish to forsake their salaries in the short term. Also, it’s possible that the Gulf States could quickly and secretly help in financing these mercenaries or local militia since there is an international trade at risk because of the piracy and the overall instability of the region.

In fact, there are well known initiatives already taking place in that region where the UAE government contracted the former executive of Blackwaters for mercenary engagement. So there’s a possibility that their nimble and quick services could as well be extended to the new government if they hit the right nerves with the Gulf Sheiks. Therefore, out of the box thinking is required in restoring quick peace in the nation’s capital rather than following the usual meme of a long term view of keep trying the same failed strategies time and again – that’s insane!.

Dealing with the Wheeler Dealers

There’s a core group of wheeler dealers (namely some of the parliamentarians), that for them the whole process of government revival is a means of employment and gamesmanship unlike the well doers. These groups mainly keep the process of change very slow and confusing as their daily bread is at stake. Confronting them is not an easy task either, as they are well versed in the gut politics of obfuscation. They also view themselves as politicians but are only wheeler dealers that with the right measures can be kept at bay. Finding the right measures, however, eluded all past government formations and hence led to their collapse. Perhaps some ego finessing is needed this time around and not confrontations.

Age of the Facebook

If governments can be toppled in Tunisia and Egypt and president Obama could create his political juggernaut through Facebook and other social media. The new government in Somalia should be well versed in utilizing these new social media.  For instance, it could be used to recruit and inspire the vast pool of well educated Somalis in the Diaspora who is willing to take part in the resuscitation of their native country and participate in the rebuilding of the nation state. But what the new government doesn’t have is TIME. All these could’ve been better organized from the get go but not while in office and the enemy is at the gates and the wheeler dealers are scheming and finances are in short supply. Maybe we should wish these men of good will much good luck as they will need it.