Somalia: Puntland President fails to honor promises [Editorial]

GAROWE ONLINE EDITORIAL|The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali came to power in January, 2014 after tightly contested regional elections in the capital, Garowe. Ali made many pledges including the paramount nature of security, action on terrorism and piracy, zero-tolerance policy on crimes, revival of 1998 spirit through unity conference within the first hundred days in office, investment encouragement, a raft of infrastructure projects and social services delivery, amongst others in fine oratory. Nonetheless, How Puntland leader failed to deliver on not a little promise.

Ali raised hopes but he dashed at a later stage, putting himself in the midst of ill-famed cadres and sidestepping a lot of pressing matters. The president chose to employ systematic tirade to remove a handful of politicians, who worked with his predecessor not long since, however his shrug has just faded with the re-nomination of former government officials.

In his far-reaching shuffle for the first time since being narrowly elected to the top political post, Ali included three heavyweights-then Health Minister, now for Environment and Wildlife, Dr. Ali Abdullahi Warsame , ex-deputy Minister of Interior, Abdijamal Moallim Ahmed, now for Animal Husbandry and Livestock , former Nugal Governor, Abdi Hirsi Ali (Qarjab), now Minister of Security-in his choices. The nominations appeased discontented bureaucrats and immediately wielded effect on the day-to-day activities at government offices throughout Puntland.

After barely a few weeks into his victory, Al Shabaab militants invigorated terror attacks and killed a roster of officials, namely Galgala forces and Bari regional police commanders. This means, Ali has not embodied the expectations of Puntland people and anywhen failed to provide tight security with the United Nations Agencies.

Never before, has Al Shabaab suicide bomber dared target United Nations staff in broad day light attack. Most people are really worried, is Puntland president keen to breathe a life into the already prickling institutions?

Today, the wishy-washy commitments to the issue of prime importance-security-are no dern, in apparent reference to the failures admitted by Vice President, Abdihakin Abdullahi Haji Omar about the slow progress made in United Nations Joint Programme on Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (JPLG) during a joint review at Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC) by Monday.

Puntland cabinet ministers have not gathered for their weekly cabinet meeting for eight weeks- an attempt by the Vice President stumbled on lack of quorum, Parliament Speaker Saed Hassan Shire was unable to chair parliamentary standing committee and apparatchiks have no option but to ‘wait and see’ what bosses won’t tell them.

Last month, consultative conference held in lieu of sine quo non unity conference in Galkayo sparked off row after former Somaliland Public Works and Housing Minister, Ahmed Abdi Habsade, a man thought to be boosting his political leverage scolded Puntland for failing to achieve success in governance over its existent time.

Security forces and civil servants remain disgruntled as of today and in a worse scenario, the president could be planning to ask Puntland Defence Forces Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Saed Mohamed Hirsi (Saed Dhere) to step aside, because he broke silence on the rights of striking soldiers, those who made sacrifices on the frontline in the fight against terrorists and hoodlums, sad to say men and women nowadays in ragged fatigue.

It’s a time for President Ali’s administration to shake off bureaucratic paralysis, consolidate oversight on ministries and parastatals, spruce up sagging image and tackle growing divisions.

Garowe Online Editorial 
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