|
With the elections over, all eyes are now on Somaliland’s newly elected
President Ahmed Sillanyo. To be even more specific, people want to see
whether he will keep his promise of forming a small and competent
cabinet or whether he will bow to pressure from different
constituencies, clans and personalities and form a large cabinet as his
predecessor did. This poses a dilemma for the president because many of
the voices who are publicly calling for a lean government are lobbying
behind the scene to be included in the cabinet. Since the need for a
small cabinet and the fact that the president is being subjected to
intense pressure are both widely known, the president should use this as
an opportunity to send a strong message to the public that he is in
charge and that he is going to make decisions based on what is best for
the country, not based on the interests of individuals or groups.
Once he forms his cabinet, the President should prioritize his agenda.
Since Somaliland does not get bilateral aid from foreign sources that
could help it build its infrastructure, the new government should start
programs of self-help in which Somaliland’s government, businesses and
private citizens would work together to re-build the country. These
projects would serve as tangible proof of the accomplishments of the new
administration. The president could even invite some of the capable
office-seekers who did not make it to his cabinet to help in launching
and running these projects.
Since the culture of a people has a big influence on their politics and
economics, the new government should establish a policy of reforming
Somaliland’s culture, foremost among these reforms should be ending the
chewing of Qat by educating the population on the destructive impact of
Qat on people’s health, finances, and family life. Members of the new
cabinet who chew Qat should set an example by openly quitting the habit.
There are two other social issues to which the new government needs to
pay attention. One, the government should vigorously pursue a policy of
preventing religious extremism from taking root in Somaliland by
supporting and nurturing Somaliland religious institutions and scholars
that teach the true, moderate and universal message of Islam. Two, the
government should follow a conscious policy of strengthening
Somaliland’s position as the cultural center of the Somali-speaking
world by employing poets and artists and providing them with halls and
theaters where they can come together and produce their works. Since
poets and artists are some of the cultural pillars of society,
supporting them will be to the benefit of the administration and would
not be a purely altruistic move. Besides, we all know that President
Dahir Rayale Kahin paid a price for alienating many of Somaliland’s
poets and artists.
The new government must continue President Dahir Rayale Kahin’s
successful eastern policy, but now that Somaliland has mostly reached
its eastern borders in Sool and Sanag and with the beginning of a new
administration the communities in Sool, Sanag and Buhoodle should be
empowered within the various branches of government in a fair and
credible manner.
The new government should work with parliament and the judiciary on
reforming Somaliland’s judicial system.
The new government should find a solution for the festering problem of
Ceel-bardaale.
Finally, the government should set up a functioning ministry of foreign
affairs that has links with the diaspora and that can mobilize the
diaspora to work for international recognition.
The issues that need urgent attention are numerous, we only listed some
of them. Best wishes to the new President and his team.
|
|
