By Ahmed Hirsi

In this short piece, I will attempt to postulate one of the biggest mind-boggling questions posed by Somalis on Damul- Jadiid’s ( Damin-Jadiids) ascend to power  has increased the possibility of Somalia sliding back to political violence.  On top of that, most political analysts in Somalia would argue that rent-seeking and the rentier state model has extremely taken root in Somalia and that Damul-Jadiid’s key desire is to spawn anarchy, chaos and to create conducive conditions that will not only speed the blundering of the government coffers before the 2016 elections, but one that will renew the old wounds of clan warfare and deep animosity amongst Somalis.

Certainly, Damul-Jadiid has not only explicitly rejected calls from the International Community but turned a deaf ear on the pleas from ordinary Somalis and large number of Somali MPs not to use cash for vote-rigging and other dirty schemes in ousting the former Prime Minister Abdiweli. Moreover, political assassinations, intimidations and in some cases mass arrests of critical journalists, MPs and a number of clan leaders is currently continuing unabated.

To add more fuel to the fire even the United Nations Representative for Somalia, Mr. Nicholas Kay, wasn’t spared from Damul Jadiid’s rants, threats and intimidation such as deportation and attempts that were aimed at forcing him to apologize for his views on how best the disagreements between Damul-Jadiid and the former Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli could be resolved. Albeit, Mr Kay used his political experience in fending off Damul – Jadiid’s threats, but in the end he had to make a deviant and a non-apologetic public statement on this issue.

Damul- Jadiid’s Logic for being deviant

After it became perceptible to the top brass of Damul-Jadiid that the International Community wasn’t prepared in fulfilling the billions of cash pledges made to Somalia unless there are systems and institutions capable of implementing necessary checks and balances required to achieve the Somali Compact goals by 2016 are in place. Craftily, Damul-Jadiid rerouted its focus and attention from the Western Donors. As a result of this highly deceptive technique, cash filled in boxes from Qatar and United Arab Emirates whom the word accountability doesn’t exist in their dictionary is overflowing into Mogadishu.

As a matter of fact, there is nothing wrong for any poor or developing/country from receiving cash from its rich friends/ donors, but, the problem is that all the cash given to Damul-Jadid to help the poor and the needy ends up in foreign bank accounts and is being misused for other unintended rituals/projects such as vote-rigging schemes intended to a sack Prime Minister every year in the month of December. As we all recall both former Prime Ministers Saacid and Abdiweli were expelled in the first days of the month of December.

Economic Chokehold

The economic situation for the poor and the internally displaced people in Somalia is a dire one in one hand. On the other, Damul-jadiid’s top cats, war profiteers that control every sphere of the Somali economy and every single penny through dubious means such as cashless electronic payment system make millions of dollars on a daily basis.

For instance, people from all walks of life in Mogadishu, punch few buttons on their cell phones and within seconds they can pay anything that is on sale in Somalia without even seeing or physically touching money.

The introduction of mobile banking is efficient way to make payments, but the trouble is the monopolization by the big telecommunication companies that control the economy do not pay taxes and have become more powerful than the government itself. Moreover, there is no corporate responsibility to give back to the Somali society, although these companies make use of infrastructures that belong to the Somali people. No one is monitoring these companies and they are become a growing security threat. These War Profiteers rig the markets, be it foreign currency exchanges and the sharp rises in food prices.

President Hassan and his two confidantes, Faarah Abdulkadir (Faarah Sikiin) and Abdulkarim Guled have amassed huge housing portfolios and other assets in and outside Somalia. We therefore urge the International Community to freeze and recover all the stolen assets from the Somali people. It’s a paramount important that the Somali parliamentarians not affiliated with Damul-Jadiid must re prioritize their responsibilities and uncover Damul-Jadiid’s dirty tricks and their concealment methods in stealing and favouring people belonging to their sect and clan.

No wonder, Somalia is time and again ranked as the most corrupt country in the world.

Why the Gulf Money?

Another reason as to why Somalia has become a chaotic country, could be attributed to the fact that Somalia has been turned into the political playground by rich Gulf states such as Qatar and United Arab Emirates, whose emirs are competing to outdo each other by flooding Mogadishu with millions of Dollars packed in boxes with no or little accountability whatsoever. Turkey too uses and as a matter of fact introduced cash payments in boxes.

It is not a top guarded secret to any Somali that the United Arab Emirates is bankrolling and paying the salaries of Somali intelligence Service. Every week, a plane carrying thousands of Dollars packed in boxes arrives at Adan Adde International Airport.

Bizarre way of going about government duties

I was really puzzled when the Somali president told his sacked inner circle ministers not to obey any orders or decrees from Prime Minister Abdiweli’s office. The President has not only overstepped his presidential powers, but behaved and is still behaving in such a way that North Korea will be seen as more democratic than Somalia.

To make things worse, a few weeks ago, Damul-Jadiid sent a delegation to negotiate with the Somaliland clan enclave in Turkey. The former Interior Minister, Abdikariin Guled and number two on Damul-Jadiid hierarchy, was chosen to lead the talks between Somaliland and Damul-Jadiid who are both claiming to be legitimate governments. The funny thing is that, Abdikariin was sacked few months back and lost his ministerial position. How could a man who is not even in the cabinet or has no any government portfolio lead a government delegation in Turkey?

Conclusion

Damul-Jadiid has failed miserably in maintaining the momentum in the political transition process, with a view to fostering dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia. As we speak, Ministers and Assistant Ministers from other regions and clans than those who are close to President Hassan have been banned from leaving Mogadishu by an Ethiopian former Judge Mr. Ahmed Ali Dahir.

How   a former Ethiopian court judge can become the Attorney General of Somalia? Call this Hassan Sheikh’s clan politics of nepotism. This act of travel ban is not only against the Somali constitution that guarantees its  citizens the freedom of movement, but is also ill-advised action.

The possibility of political violence re igniting in Somalia cannot be ruled out. If a long lasting peace, justice, and law and order which Somalia yearns for is to be established, Damul-Jadiid needs to change its attitude, behaviour, and its clannish policies.

Somalia has a long way to go before it can be deemed democratically successful by any nations or by any standards.

Finally, Damul-Jadiid supporters are celebrating in all major cities across the world in a highly tribalised elation mode. Lets wait and see how these jubilations and celebration will end . In 1990 when the Somali Government was toppled, many people cheered too, and they finally regretted after 24 years of chaos and lawlessness.

Ahmed Hirsi
Email:ahmed.hirsi@yahoo.com