How Somalia's state-building process can be achieved

MOGADISHU, Somalia - For three decades, Somalia has struggled to build a strong and stable nation, making it cumbersome for the country to move ahead, in what has been blamed for bad leadership and weak institutions, and to some extent, dictatorial regimes.

The political class has often been at loggerheads, and with the emergence of Al-Shabaab extremists and clan militia, the state-building process has often faced impedances, at times forcing the country to seek intervention from the international community.

Largely, Somalia depends on international partners for key financing of her institutions and Al-Shabaab has even made it difficult for subsequent regimes to govern the country. The group controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

Presidential candidate, Abdikarim Hussein Guled, who previously served as Security Minister and president of Galmadug, notes that the lack of democratic processes in the country will even delay the quest for a stable Somalia. Guled is the current Sahan Party leader and presidential candidate.

"Somalia's state-building process will remain incomplete until people reach a stage of electing their own leaders in democratic elections," he said during a Twitter Space conversation hosted by Garowe Online.

Somalia failed to agree on a framework for universal suffrage polls, which Guled maintains would have ended the current electoral quagmire. The country is set to hold indirect polls which will culminate in the election of the president later on October 10, 2021, based on the May agreement.

Besides holding democratic elections, Guled also believes reunions between Somalia and Somaliland will be critical in efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation. For three decades, Somaliland has been running a parallel government with its own currency, parliament, and army.

"Somaliland's absence affects the completion of Somalia's state-building process and the structure of federalism and I underline its concerns must be resolved in any way without secession," he noted.

"I think the unity comes through dialogue and the reunion can come through the same manner, no one can be coerced. The case of Somaliland touches on finalization of Somalia's provisional constitution," Guled added.

In May, Somaliland held its elections which saw the ruling Kulmiye party lose to rivals Waddani and UCID. But despite the loss, region's President Muse Bihi Abdi said the exercise showed why Somaliland should be recognized by the international community, three decades after breaking away over "dishonesty and genocide".

Further, the former minister said a stable Somalia can also be achieved through granting the capital Mogadishu it's status in the Federalism, adding that "it is vital to the Somalia state-building and this should be given special attention."

Mogadishu remains the country's capital city and is under a mayor, contrary to other states that are governed by regional presidents. The country has struggled to implement federalism which many analysts believe is the only "shortcut to a stable nation".

While asking citizens to continue pushing for credible polls, Guled also asked national leaders to be guided by integrity, giving typical examples of how he relinquished power when he thought that he had "failed" as a leader.

"During my presidency in Galmadug, there were skirmishes in the Mudug region which were not different from the current security crisis. My administration had no interest in what happened," he said.

"I resigned as security minister in 2014 after a single blast that killed several people. However, no one has resigned after a truck bomb killed over 800 people in 2017, Mogadishu."

He also pledged to ensure proper representation of women in parliament, arguing that: "If I win the presidency, I promise that women will play a key role in government and I will deliver more than 30 percent quota."

The country has been struggling with instability for years, thus weakening most of its institutions. In fact, most of the institutions are almost dysfunctional, making the nation battle with lawlessness and lack of vision.

GAROWE ONLINE