Any politician, who has no clues of this simple rules or techniques may face many obstacles, difficulties and disappointments in executing his duties and may even face the tendency to create more unnecessary enemies, which may result to his eventual weakening, ineffectiveness and perhaps end of his career. Obviously, for such politicians, there is the likelihood or risk that the issues they put forward each time, no matter how important they may be, may be perceived or deemed as being unwarranted, baseless, unjustifiable, out of place, uncalled-for, inappropriate, meaningless and such untimely issues will certainly garner more opposition to it and be killed easily. This kind of scenario is what most seasoned politicians likes to avoid in order to maintain their political weight, respectability, credibility, and be seen effective at all times both in the House and in public arenas.

In this case, although Rayale is a career spy or a soldier since he first entered politics when the late president brought him in from the cold and surprisingly appointed him the Vice President of the Republic of Somaliland, a post he never dreamed of, he is not a politician and clearly lacks the above stated simple rules and techniques to somewhat sail on this turbulent political waters. Some knowledge of these rules and their importance in politics could certainly have made others to perceive him as a real politician. Obviously, Rayale needs to learn the art of politics if he seriously needs to continue being the leader of this country even though I do not recommend that he does so or learns on the job at the expense of this poor citizenry and nation who are in a hurry to quickly leap forward and reap the fruits of their labor.

However, the real problem facing Rayale is that he is unqualified to hold the highest office in the land. This is where he is most vulnerable and which exposes him from time to time. The other problem is that he is at most times silent particularly at sensitive times when the entire public becomes restless and calls for him to speak up or to address the nation in order to clarify or cool down certain issues. And when he is finally awakened from his deep slumber by the outcry of the opposition parties, Diaspora Somalilanders and the citizenry, he reluctantly breaks his silence with a mediocre salvo or bang of shallow statements, which often embarrasses or disappoints both his domestic and foreign audiences. In addition, he is known to use certain close and rogue cabinet ministers and certain UDUB party officials as attack dogs who constantly attack the opposition parties particularly KULMIYE party and its leaders and now the UCID party and its leaders whom he perceives as political enemies.

Nevertheless, his perceived political enemies as well as the general public strongly believe that the real reason behind Rayale and his gang’s uncivil and unnecessary attacks is to deliberately clog any helpful public debate such the banned “Caawa Caqli Keen” debate, which may emerge in the country and to instead replace that with constant divisive partisan crossfire, empty rhetoric, and meaningless bickering in order to hide his political bankruptcy, ineptness, corruption, and hidden agenda and, most importantly, to detract his opponents and the general public scrutiny.

Worse still, he is, at most times, suspected to be the hidden hand behind all that is ailing Somaliland or the ever increasing political, economical, and social problems, which continues to plague this small country of 3.5 million people since he came to office.

On the other hand, Rayale’s recent press conference is a testimony of the stated awakening from his deep slumbers and the breaking of the silence with his usual untimely, unwarranted, shallow, meaningless, divisive, and detractive statements which further disappointed both his domestic and foreign audience. This is indeed a president who has no political instinct particularly when to seize the moment or an opportunity and when to create a good image for himself on the local and international arenas.

His recent and meaningless press conference is also an indication of his sheer failure to seize the moment and to promptly address the nation and the international community in a robust manner particularly soon after the September 29, 2005 parliamentary elections, which was peacefully and successfully concluded, and which all the international election observers realized as being one of a kind in Africa or a miracle and declares it as being a free and fair elections. This utter failure may have cost Somaliland greatly as it was indeed a golden opportunity to shore its case once again before the international community and to vigorously and proudly demand its long over due international recognition.  

So what did Somaliland have gained from this out of touch press conference? Nothing! And what did Rayale and his gang has gained from this untimely press conference? Nothing! So why then, would Rayale paint himself in a corner and try to antagonize the now powerful opposition parties and their leaders? Because he is not a real politician and have no clue of how democracy works!

Farah Ali Jama, Ottawa , Canada .

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