by Abdihabib Y. Warsame
Thursday, September 06, 2012
Despite the major setbacks and the political anxiety expressed privately and publicly by some TFG top government leaders, Technical Selection Committee (TSC) had succeed in filtering the process of selecting MP’s from warmongers on which by the way many of whom did not meet the minimum level of education and experience needed to serve as a members of parliaments.
Somalia future is now vested entirely in the new MP’s, thus both success and failure is also in their hands. As MP’s gearing up to vote a new president and the efforts to build genuine political framework, Somali people hope MP’s bear in mind the significance of voting likeminded individuals in the top ticket positions, especially the President & the Prime Minister. This will cultivate cooperative efforts and cohesion on key policy issues of the nascent Somali government. The system will work in harmony rather than the disintegration and mismatches prevalent in the TFG systems. While some basic conflicts are important for any developmental administration, too much pressure and misunderstandings between the top leaders could create chaos and havoc and would ultimately crumble the government and endanger the very existence and the core principles of the Somali nation.
While a significant milestone is been achieved, it is too early to declare victory because some of the heavy-lifting work is yet to be undertaken. But, more to the point, it takes more than perfectly designed member of parliaments to turn around an ailing system. It also takes beyond individuals with high credentials & academia.
What does it take then?
It takes cluster of likeminded, committed, and harmonious leaders with grand ambitions, and who can see eye to eye on key fundamental items such as interior conflict external political affairs, and above all, have the ability to articulate vision and sense of direction in order to put the finger on the existence and the root of the problem. There is a real synergy that forms when committed like-minded leaders speak in unify language and take same position on key important issues. “Great minds run in the same gutters”.
Furthermore, the most effective leaders are likeminded in one critical way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but mainly as “threshold capabilities”; that is, they are the entry-level requirements for leadership positions. But recent studies clearly show that emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership. Without it, a person can have the best training in the world, an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of smart ideas, but he/she still won’t make a great leader.
In light of new parliament sworn and the succession of a new speaker, there are many ways to view the event; in hindsight however, the occasion is perceived by a great majority of the Somali people as historic moment.
What are the roadblocks ahead?
A Point often overlooked is to pause and ask bravely “why we’re in this ditch so long?” Clan conflict and disharmony were the products of people failing to act reasonably and rationally. As has been noted in various times, some of the obstacles to peace for so long are individuals such as those who seek to undermine peace, stability, progress and always subject to declined any given plan that potentially could yield lasting peace to Somalia.
These personalities are enemies to peace in their core and will never run out of excuses. At this critical moment in Somali history when the country is at a crossroads and much is at stake for the future of Somalia as a nation, we must as Somalis join hands and give peace a chance in order to escape from the predicament and the routine we seem made a habit.
We’re constantly reminded that we’re confronted by a conflict between the Somali national interest vs. parochial clannish interests of particular groups and individuals under the pretense of “Somali government”. In spite of the remarkable milestone that has been achieved over the last few months, some who are spewing the same rhetoric to undermine the process without offering an alternative. It’s regrettable, but unless and until these types of pretentious personalities and double standards are properly addressed, I’m afraid we will again find ourselves in the same dead end.
I look forward on Monday, September 10, 2012 with new leadership that can bring fresh and lively future to the country.
Abdihabib Y. Warsame
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