BY MOHAMED SHAMUN OMAR
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The current selection of a Prime Minister in Somalia is a matter of tremendous importance to all Somalis in that it affects the ability of a devastated country to recover and reinvigorate. As the news of the appointment of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed fixated many on the man, and others on the message he might bring to a nation desperately in need of a capable leader, I would like to propose the following narrative; imagine he is successful. As the incoming Prime Minister accepts what is arguably the toughest Prime Ministerial post in the world, he owes to himself and his constituency to have a vision, and a plan. In the following sections, I offer some of the challenges of the appointment, and opportunities it might bring.
Clarity of a mission, a deliverable product, sense of urgency, and ownership of the office should be your contract with Somalia. In other words, I know what Somalia expects of me, I have a plan to deliver it, time is of the essence, and I am accountable for my deeds. As you walk into the office, your new government will have many clients and enormous challenges including Islamic extremists, unruly odayaal who believe they crowned you, bloating and sometime boisterous crowds of parliamentarians, a poorly defined relationship with the Office of the President, the international community, and the group that matters most, and poised to lose most if you fail, we the people of Somalia.
Teasing out these challenges is a challenge in itself. Your new government will be under siege by a new trend in Somali contemporary history, radical religious zealots with a mission to rule by the sword, this will be your immediate and maybe the biggest challenge. Pause for a moment, and articulate clearly your policy in dealing with this group. Refrain from a poorly conceived policy of forming shadow religious groups to counter this challenge; the policy of your predecessor in this regard was a dismal failure. Ask the question, can religion be an aid and not a hindrance in dealing with the destabilizing and destructive forces of Islamic extremism? I would argue yes, theology has always, and will always be part of the fabric of Somali society, use it to your advantage.
Religion inspired individuals have created political geniuses such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and the Dalia Lama who steered their constituency in pursuing peace and justice in a non-violent way. You would need a wining theological narrative framed by you, and being told by credible local Islamic scholars that stimulates the public repudiation of the unholy activities of the fanatics. This narrative would need to be coupled by a sophisticated counter-insurgency strategy that I am surprised no one is talking about. Be prepared for the fact that you would always be faced with some, whose sole mission is to sabotage, would not negotiate, and in some extreme cases would die for a misguided cause. To move forward you would only need a minimum wining coalition including some current and credible opposition forces.
As your appointment is the product of much despised clan calculus, the unruly odayaal are already making their own shadow government at the heels of your expected government. Be bold, and make a stand, I would make the motion that you don’t need more than a five cabinet members, give or take. You would have to deal with one of the largest and rowdy parliaments in the region, and it is difficult to depoliticize your relationship with them. You would need to start building coalitions within this group, and establish your listening posts, don’t underestimate their influence; they could make your appointment unworkable.
The story of Abdiqasim Salad and Ali Khalif, Abdullahi Yusuf and Ali Mohamed, and not long ago Shiekh Sharif and Omar Abdirashid are all too familiar sagas of ill-defined and poorly managed president-prime minister working relationships. Before it is too late, establish your rapport with Villa Somalia and clarify roles and responsibilities for you and the President.
Donor agenda and their timeline is another area of concern. You will be overseeing a government that is primarily and sadly funded by a third party, in this case the international community. Your policy priorities will be dictated in part by a third party who has their own agenda and timeline. Be courageous to stand up for what is right for Somalis, and don’t be tempted and forced to follow the money trail.
The most important constituency you have is a weary nation that has been disappointed by many appointments; please come out of the shadow of failures that preceded you, and address the nation. Tell us why we should imagine success.
The author is Administrative Fellow at Harvard University