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Somaliland’s successful election and smooth transfer of power has won it
accolades around the world. Somaliland’s democratic achievements are so
glaring and tangible that even some of the most hostile individuals to
Somaliland’s independence had no choice but to either tone down their
rhetoric or look for new angles of attack.
But with the celebrations over, Somaliland is clearly entering a new
era: the era of small government. This is not small government for its
own sake but rather small government that is efficient, not corrupt, and
accountable. The new president has offered Somalilanders a new bargain:
instead of the psychological satisfaction of having their clan or
sub-clan members in the cabinet, Somalilanders will get a government
that will deliver services to them and look after their interests. This
is a new experiment and a lot rides on the outcome, for if it fails, the
idea of merit-based government will be dealt a serious blow and the
bloated clan-based government will make a come back.
The president already mentioned one of the most serious stumbling blocks
in the government’s way, namely, the fact that the new government
inherited a treasury whose coffers are empty and heavily in debt. This
issue is so serious that parliament needs to start an investigation into
how the treasury was emptied and by whom, and how the debts were
incurred, otherwise cleaning up the treasury and delving the country
into debt before transferring power will become the norm.
To be fair, empty coffers and heavy debt are not all that the past
government has left behind, for the previous government has also left
behind some solid achievements, particularly in extending Somaliland’s
writ to the eastern regions and keeping Somaliland secure. The new
government has to build on that progress and consolidate it.
Not all the potential problems facing the current government have to do
with the previous government. Needless to say, some of these problems
will be of the current government’s making. A potential pitfall that is
already visible is that having a college degree does not automatically
mean one will be a successful administrator or minister. The new
ministers and administrators need to keep this in mind as they take over
their duties.
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