By Ahmed Abdullahi Isse
It is an inherent human right to protest/write and express one’s views and political belief without being subjected to suppression and harassment.
Dr. Sacdia A. Ali .
Said Abdullahi also known as Deni was elected as the fifth president of Puntland State of Somalia on 8 January 2019, in a closely contested elections, against Gen, asad Abdullahi, in which he won by a whisker, during the campaign Deni pledged intensive and comprehensive reforms on the public financial management, security by strengthening and building defense forces; inclusive politics for all; freedom of expression and acceleration of democratization process.
Also, fighting against epidemic corruption that crippled the development of all sectors of life such as affordable energy and water, accessible and quality healthcare, and free and standard education for Puntlanders. In addition, come up with a smarter policy to deal with the federal government of Somalia (FGS) and other member states in the efforts of reconstituting fragmented governance system in Somalia.
Two years into the job, President Denis’ administration made some in roads mostly applauded by all Puntland citizens, on the democratization as well as rejigging the security forces, while utterly unsuccessful and fallen through spectacularly on the others. There are plenty of imperfections on his political pledges prior to moving into the state house.
The situation reminds one on Dr.Otta c scharmer’s (2012) description of the failure of African leaders to deliver their campaign pledges. Dr. Otta hypothesized that the failures in African leadership comes from two critical factors: firstly, leaders are often unable to “access their own ignorance”. Secondly, leaders are unaware of the situation and needs of their citizens. Clearly this has led president Said Deni to fail in understanding what is going on under his leadership for the last two years of his tenure.
Furthermore, the power and influence of his partners who supported financially to get him elected was undeniable contributing factor of the debacle, as their understanding of the weight and magnitude of the perpetually changing politics in Puntland in particular and Somalia in general. They are proven themselves as upstaters with a perception ‘politics is all about advancing one’s own end.
One remembers one of the jokes, in UK, cracked on the Queen of England that ‘Her majesty thinks all rooms outside her palace have the smell of paint, not knowing rooms the Queen visits are often re-painted just before she makes her visit to ensure that they are royalty clean’. On the same token, President Deni have been told that everything is hunky dory in his administration and completely oblivion of the real situation that Puntlanders going through. whereby, the most vulnerable citizens lives has been hanging out by recurring drought coupled with, severely virulent strain of covid-19, unprecedented waves of desert locust that alerted food insecurity, inflation which grounded into hold of many people and, lastly, but not least, the recent Gati landfall in Somalia that exacerbated their livelihood predicament.
Penultimately, in a conversation with many citizens including intellectuals, scholars, politician ex ministers, advisers, in various settings across puntland inferred, two years in the helm, that president Said Deni always receives half-truths and sometimes outright lies fromhis co-owners around him. Lance Secretan – one of the world’s leading thinkers on the subject of leadership and a bestselling author of numerous books, says, “The higher you go, the less truth reaches you”. People around President Deni tend just to flatter him to the extent got deluded from the fact glaring at him’. From time to time. one wonders he may fall through before ending his 5 years tenure in office.
Finally, Puntland, without shadow of a doubt, is facing real trouble, the worst since its inception. The abuse of power is portended by public suppression, detention of free press and parliament that lost its constitutional power to limit and hold the government into account. In November 2019 the speaker of parliament was illegally and forcibly removed from his position followed by recent dismissal of 8 MPs who refused to tow the government, vis a vis the president and his clique, line:To break the constitution however, eliminating the power of parliament was purposely intended to pave the way of completely erasing the basic principles of accountability. Then, just like Siyad barre’s modus operandi, bring the power into the president’s hand.
Conclusion and recommendations
As everything is judged by its appearance or action, President Said Deni needs to urgently re-style his leadership and political tactic of ruling Puntland by starting to bravely reshuffle and dismiss the ill-capacitated ministers in his cabinet. In a reference to one of the best quotes and Lessons about Strategy of leadership from Niccolò Machiavelli’s best-known work, The Prince, says that” The first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his capability, is by observing the people he has around him’’. When they are capable and faithful, he may always be considered wise because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them faithful.
On the public trust, the intellectuals thoroughly recommended that It’s too imperative that President Deni need to be open and friendly to the public by accepting criticism and concerns expressed against him. He also needs to pay more focus in the local issues rather than endless and absurd politics of Farmaajo and federal government by carefully revisit his core promises such as particular the issue of economic development, inclusive and stable politics for all, without denying the role of other stakeholders, member of opposition parties, the independent free media houses, and civil society.
Without shadow of a doubt, the president won’t be able to achieve much, particularly the high priority tasks of security development, acceleration of the pilot democratization process, unless there is a greater cooperation occurs between the government and its stakeholders in the spirit of unity and collaboration with the best interest of the public.
Finally, President Said should also revive the security strategic plan, seek expertise enlightenment on how to deal with the frequent threat of terrorist in Puntland , review security architecture by strengthening the security agencies especially the intelligence unit, enforce the local community policing for wider cooperation between the government and local community.
Ahmed Abdullahi Isse
Email [email protected]
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