President Hassan Sheikh is unfit for the position 5 Reasons to remove him
Every sane citizen in our troubled nation knew the job ahead was anything but easy task for one man or small group to shoulder it. People ignored and looked the other way to question the process that ascended Mr. Hassan to the Presidency. Everyone hurried to cut the cord to the dreaded "TRANSITION", ignoring the unparallel amount of corruption introduced by candidate Hassan and his minders to the already polluted Somali political race discourse.
We all hoped once the T word is behind us. Everything will fall in its place. Clannism, cronyism and corruption performers will be ashamed in the public view. A new united Somalia, shared and owned by all would emerge from the shadows led by a local veteran who knew the ills and have the ability to find the cure.
Boy, if the smile and the hand wave can deceive; cleverly he did to us.
5 reasons to remove President Hassan:
1. President Hassan sworn to protect and uphold the Federal Constitution of Somalia. The provincial constitution draft needed to be completed in time so the federal states of Somalia would have been formed on the basis of the federal law. President Hassan oppose Federal system to be implemented in Somalia during his tenure as President. The deliberate delay led by the President in the implementation and review of the constitution had caused more damage to the Somali political map. For example, Lower Shabelle region is forcibly married to four other competing regional states such as 3 regions state, 6 regions state, 2 Shabelle state and Banadir state. All this happened deliberately under his nose and without any attempt to stop this polarization. This means more damage and confusion to the state formation process caused by President's ill towards Federalism. Deliberate reckless that is brewing anew rounds of civil wars. For this I call the President' removal.
2. Failure to build cohesive National Army: An interview given by President Hassan to his second day on the job. He measured his number one priority to be a) Security b) Security c) Security. The weakness in the security apparatus is so evident that shabab attacked, entered and murdered people in the country's top three institutions among other targets:
a) 14 April 2013, Alshabab terrorist captured Banadir Court and Supreme Court premises killing scores of innocent people.
b) 21 February 2014, Alshabab terrorist group captured part of Villa Somalia killing number of people including senior government officials. Putting apparent danger to the President, his family and aides.
c) 24 May, 2014, Alshabab terrorists captured Somali Parliament killing dozens of Somali and AMISOM soldiers.
These high profile attacks highlight Alshabab's increased strength during Hassan's reign. Whereas, Somali national forces remained weakened with no ability to foil nor detect Shabab attacks before it's too late. Mind you, this is just 3 out of the hundreds of attacks committed by Alshabab in the last two years. It is very evident that President Hassan failed to be our commander-in chief. For this I call the President's removal.
3. Corruption and Cronyism: All knew President Hassan and his minders paid more dollar per vote than any other candidate in the Somali vote buying-scheme history. His was unseen before. Qatar, Zam Zam foundation, Alkheyr Company, Wacaysle businessmen contributed to Hassan's vote bidding spree. People ignored the process but accepted the result and the winner. Sadly, Hassan never moved with his people. Today, the Alkheyr Company, co-owned by the President is the most active enterprise in the nation. Alkheyr Company is managed by Mr. Ismail Wardhere, cousin and close confidante to the President. Alkheyr Company is either part contractor or fully contractor to almost every project currently under way in Mogadishu including:
a) Contract with TIKA for Mogadishu road construction and renovation
b) Food Aid delivery by Turkish aid agencies (distribution & transport)
c) Mogadishu port logistics and management
d) Mogadishu airport fuel supply
e) AMISOM logistics supply management
f) Food aid supply to all the major hospitals and government institutions
g) Majority of government procurement is handled by Alkheyr or its affiliates
Basically, every second wheel rolling in Mogadishu's streets are either co-owned, co-contracted or fully contracted by Alkheyr Company. For this chronic malfeasance I call President's removal.
4. Decision making dwarfism and weak leadership: Except its effort to aid corruption and cronyism no other decision is made at Villa Somalia on fashionable time. A nation that is behind every developmental index scale can't afford self imposed indecisiveness. A good example is the plethora of duly sanctioned duties by the constitution to be implemented on clearly marked set of dates. Clearly, it was the President who willingly hijacked the nation's entire executive functions to no tangible results. People close to him attribute the excessive delay due to lack of decision making. Worse, not trusting anyone to carry own assignment without his unproductive prerogative. Arrogance, egoism and blind pride may have prevented him to seek advice.
The US government and the biggest donor in the Somali security sector have already made their assessment on President Hassan. Mr James Clapper, US Chief intelligent described Hassan's leadership" The credibility and effectiveness of the young Somali government will be further threatened by persistent political infighting, weak leadership from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, ill-equipped government institutions and pervasive technical, political and administrative shortfalls," Mr Clapper declared.
Therefore, it's prudent to ask this question. Can this nation afford another 2 or more years of weak leadership and decision making dwarfism? NO! For this I call the President to be removed.
5. Clannish President: No Somali learned or unlearned can escape from the clan label. But this President is exceptional demonstrating his bias towards certain tribe and clans. To him inclusivity starts with Damuljadid and ends with SIMAD factory. But today I display with care President Hassan's hateful towards Daarod tribe. Before Hassan moved in to Villa Somalia the total number of employees were 350 members consisting number of clans including high number of Daroods, specially in the security departments(80 members). Today, Darood members working in Villa Somalia is reduced to one non essential staff member from 80 plus. Whilst, new pay roll ballooned to 450 members; mostly recruited from SIMAD factory.
Other clannish deliberations include:
a. Hassan's unforgivable negative behavior towards the formation of Jubbaland. At one point calling Mr. Ahmed Madobe and Gen Darwish surrogates and non Somalis. He trenched heels until Ethiopia cajoled him to accept what JRA offered from the get go.
b. Removing 12 foreign service staff all belonging to Darood sub clans including Ambassadorial post. Replacing in their posts anew cadets from SIMAD factory.
c. Replacing two Majeerten Director Generals from their posts out of 25 ministerial portfolios. Today in the largest cabinet ever assembled, MJ has no sitting DG in the government. While Hawiye DGs are 10 out of 25 posts. This ill is mentioned not to be associated to Hawiye clan as a whole but to demonstrate this administration's unfairness and clannish despotism.
d. Supporting Somaliland claim over Sool and Sanaag in the expense of Puntland and Khatumo. President Hassan never exercised his constitutional duty to keep Somali territorial integrity intact by adding his voice against SL aggression towards Khatumo and Puntland. Through the Ministry of National Security, President Hassan sanctioned a group of pseudo elders to participate 18 MAY Somaliland celebration. A sad day to which the Somali unity received its most painful injury. Please watch this humiliatingvideo link depicting to a man who claimed to be the chief elder and chair for the Somali elders council. He was financed by none other than his Minister Mr. Abdikarim H. Guled. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bve0pnLNlqc
e. Hassan's sheer contempt ignoring the issue of land and property restitution. Calling occupiers and thugs to Someone else's HERO!
Like any other major tribe, Darood and their sub clans are indispensible for the nations unity and its political organization. No clan is dispensable from the national discourse. Let alone major clans that hold a big sway. Whether it was miscalculation on his part or reviving the failed USC-SNA anti Darood sentiments. This President has failed to unite to the already fragmented nation by sowing a new clan based conflict. For this I call President Hassan to be removed.
Finally, this thesis may be hard on the ears of the President to be reminded who we really think he is. But it is not meant for Hawiye vs Darood conundrum. In fact, many Hawiye clans are suffering from President Hassan's sheer maltreatment including Abgsal sub clans outside of his Ali Gaaf sub sub clan. Furthermore, look what his incoherent policies are doing to Digil and Mirifle beltway. First, he encouraged and supported the 6 region state formation. Now, he is on the side of the 3 region state.
The two main opposition camps against President Hassan are led by Hon Abdulkadir Osoble organizing his removal from the Parliament chambers. At the outside and at the civil society corridors is led by Dr. Abdirahman Baadiyow. Both are from Abgal clan. These two fine men are working hard to show the true character of Hassan Sheikh, a one of deceit, corruption and poor leadership.
Therefore, it should not interpreted ala Somali fadhi ku dirir scorn against any particular clan. Rather to put emphasis to one man's arrogance and the danger his actions may cause to the already fractured Somali kin.
President Hassan Sheikh must go...now!
Abdullahi Sh. Moallim
Somali Scholar and Journalist
Doha, Qatar
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