Mr. President: Thanks, But No Thanks‎‎

By Farah Ali Jama

The President’s dark past, suspicious ascendancy to power; sheer ineptness, unfavourable policies, corruption, and shadowy actions are an embarrassment to the intrepid people of Somaliland, an insult to the long and bitter liberation struggle of this country, and a chagrin to the Somali national Movement (SNM) and its living and martyred Mujahideen (may God rest their soul in peace). In addition, his boring leadership style; imprudence, uncharismatic nature, lack of pragmatism, dishonesty, and constant blunders are a colossal combination of political deficiencies and a liability to UDUB Party as well as a set back to the cause, aspirations, and interest of the people and existence of the democratic Republic of Somaliland.

Surprisingly, with such unfavourable qualities couple with lack of post secondary education; the president still soldiers on and continues to lead his heavy footed and slow to react subjects. Worse still, his devil-may-care actions, uncivil behaviour, sheer arrogance, empty rhetoric and promises, and hollow bravado towards the general public as well as his colleagues in government have permeated the atmosphere, muddled the political, economic, and social discourse of the country, poisoned the working relations of the hard working and loyal civil servants, threatens the peaceful coexistence of the citizenry, and hampers all aspects of progress in Somaliland.

Is it then, not a wonder that the people of Somaliland have tolerated this mediocre president to this extent? Is it not a miracle that they have somewhat allowed this unproductive president to remain in office this long? Is it not surprising that such a small timer and happy-go-lucky president who have long lost the confidence of the people of the democratic Republic of Somaliland, continues to make massive mistakes, persists in mocking other national officials, carries on to incite and provoke the public, threatens the peace and security, disregards the constitution and the rule of law, and endangers the existence of Somaliland? So what is wrong with the people of Somaliland ? Have they been bewitched or what?

Even though the president’s chain of negative actions are no longer a surprise or interesting or worthy of news anymore, his recent pretence of courage and hasty actions in removing from office the Minister of Interior and the Police Commissioner even before they have been investigated or been proven guilty of the crimes they have been suspected of, have raised some eye brows within the country and in the Diasporas and it therefore warrants a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.

The intelligent people of Somaliland smell a rat and can not be hoodwinked or be led to believe otherwise, and they will not let go this serious issue until it is dealt with thoroughly and the truth but, the whole truth is uncovered. As a result, we say to the president: Thanks but, no thanks for the public suspects and utterly rejects the manner in which you have humiliated and removed these senior government officials from office even though they do not welcome their return in office!

Although the general public, opposition parties, civil society organization, Traditional Elders, Business community, citizenry in the Diasporas, and others had been calling on the president for years and have been loudly demanding the removal from office the Minister of Interior and the Police Commissioner as well as the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Information, the Minister of Planning, the Minister of Parliamentary Coordination, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunication, and other Cabinet Ministers and bureaucrats in the interest of the public and nation; the president ignored their legitimate concerns and complaints, pleas to restore sanity and accountability in government, and invaluable advice they provided, and continued with his usual reckless endeavour as, if they are nobodies or as if nothing has ever happened!

Nonetheless, the presidents recent chain of negative actions or breach of the Constitution and the laws of the land (from the Breach of Parliamentary Immunity and his attempts to disrupt the parliamentary procedures and the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Hargeisa Hospital incident to the Dumbuluq incident to the Terrorist Jail breakage and attempted escape to the Amina-Weris Case to the Containers and contraband incident in Berbera Port to the Guurti/House of Elders’ illegal and unconstitutional four year increment in their tenure in office to the Firing of the Trade Minister and the Governor of Sahel Province and its regional Police Chief to his suspicious visit to Yemen to his visit to Ethiopia to the present firing of the Minister of Interior and the Police Commissioner) neither shocks the stray cats in the streets nor ruffles the feathers of the hens in Hargeisa city, let alone its proud residents or the people of Somaliland in general. After all, it is widely believed that he fired these senior government officials who have been his closest and most loyal comrades in order to:

Whatever the case, we strongly demand boldness from the Legislative Branch of government and from the elected Members of Parliament in upholding the Constitution and the laws of the land and accountability and to bring to justice those who have wronged and caused untold hardships to our proud, gallant, hard working, and patient Security Forces and their families.

Farah Ali Jama,

Ottawa , Canada .

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