by Mohamed Abdi
Friday, October 22, 2010
The recent nomination of Mohamed Farmajo for the post of Prime Minister has resulted in much partisan debate within the Somali diaspora. My sense is that it was not so much the selection that caused the uproar; it was mainly due to the views expressed in Mr. Farmajo’s thesis. His views touched the nerves of a great number of Somalis and gave rise to criticism of the vetting and decision making processes employed by advisers to the President.
Further it is my understanding that a decision will soon be made by Parliament regarding the nomination of the Prime Minister. Many persons have expressed their views and the time has come to respect our constitutional processes and the democratic decision of our legislators and government. Let us agree to respect and accept whatever decision is made.
We need to move forward and do not allow this issue to create skepticism and division to dilute our energies; we need to shift our focus towards the development of an implementable agenda for the remaining term of the Government and lay the institutional foundations for the succeeding administration. A government without an agenda is like a vehicle without wheels. There is general uncertainty as to what was achieved during the past two years; we cannot afford any further perception of inaction.
The new Government will need to prove that it is much more than a Government in name only.
If we accept the premise that the function of Government is to deliver services to the people, then the people need to know what services are to be delivered and to assess the quality of service delivery. However, service delivery is very much dependent on having competent persons performing in roles that require experience and knowledge. Competence needs to triumph comfort. To this end, it is the sole responsibility of the Prime Minister and Ministers to administer the daily affairs of the nation. It is hope that any future Prime Minister will not succumb to cronyism and put “square pegs in round holes”.
If however the Government fails, it is the President who will receive much of the blame. The challenge for the President is to forge unity of vision and action but it is for the Prime Minister and Cabinet to deliver.
Let me be quite clear. I have on several occasions stressed the importance of convincing the Somali diaspora and the international community that the Government is in capable hands. If this advice is not taken seriously, then Somalia will face the prospect of having another failed administration. Unlike previous administrations, this administration needs to leave a viable legacy for the future. The recent US dual –track policy shift towards Somalia is cause for great concern and can be the precursor to future international reaction to Somalia.
Mohamed Abdi Mohamed
Washington D.C
[email protected]