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E D I T O R I A L
Monday, February 09, 2009
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| Madaxweynaha Cusub Mudane Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed - Sawirka Irada Humbatova/Reuters |
The election of the young and dynamic Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as the President of Somalia is a significant development that could herald a new era of optimism in Somali politics. Hiiraan Online welcomes this positive and potentially historical milestone in Somali politics.
Unlike his predecessors who suffered from a huge credibility and trust deficits, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed assumes the presidency with a huge reservoir of domestic enthusiasm mainly due to war fatigue and plentiful international goodwill. The aligning of favorable national and international approval ratings rarely occurs in politics and President Obama seems to be the only other politician currently enjoying similar political fortunes.
The majority of Somalis either support the new President or are willing to give him the benefit of doubt for the time being. In addition to this apparent groundswell of domestic and international support, other prevailing conditions further make us hopeful about the success rate of Sheikh Sharif’s presidency. The defeat and withdrawal of the ever-meddling Ethiopians, the change of guard in Washington, the absence of armed warlords, and the fact that Sheikh Sharif’s party comprise almost half of the Parliamentarians are all welcome opportunities that could help the new President consolidate power positively and usher in a new Somalia which is at peace with itself and with its neighbors.
Challenges facing the new Somali President are also enormous. For one, much of South-Central Somalia is controlled by the Al-Shabaab militants who fiercely object to their ex-boss’ peace-making overtures with the TFG as well as his willingness to collaborate with the international community on regional peace and security and warming up relations with neighbors including arch enemy Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Further compounding this security challenge is the fact that certain quarters within the international community are curious , if not suspicious, of the real agenda of the cleric – turned politician. The fact that all previous transitional administrations in Somalia failed to establish themselves let alone resuscitate the Somali state, also reveal the rather difficult road ahead of President Sharif.
Another key challenge that could hasten either the dramatic success or utter failure of Sheikh Sharif’s Presidency is the decision he makes concerning the selection of a Prime Minister – the most important constitutional responsibility of any Somali President. Sheikh Sharif cannot afford to squander this important opportunity to set the pace and the tone for his presidency.
It is not a secret that Sheikh Sharif’s election as president did not come through as democratic exercise by the Somali people. Rather, it was a regime-installation-scheme implemented at the top on behalf of the international community by Ambassador Ould Abdallah of the UN and warmly welcomed by the war-weary Somali nation. This refurbished Transitional Federal Government could only survive if and only if it uses its newly found (and yes limited powers and legitimacy) to advance the common good. Choosing a capable and credible Prime Minister with administrative and managerial skills, has therefore, the potential to propel and gain a necessary public support to strengthen this embryonic national experiment – and Sheikh Sharif has the power to right the wrongs of the past.. If, for instance, Sheikh Sharif appoints a mediocre premier through political expediency, the domestic support of the new President will undoubtedly dissipate in no time and the makeshift transitional institutions he heads could collapse and with it the hope of the Somali people.
Clan distribution model aside, the selection of the new PM has to be the result of wide-ranging consultations with the multitude of Somali groups. More importantly, we call on the new President to make national reconciliation his first, second third priority. It is what brought him to the negotiating table and we hope that he continues to reach out to all groups outside of the negotiation process.
Similarly, Hiiraan Online further calls upon the opposition groups especially the leaders of Al-shabaab to cease and desist their aimless warfare and we further warn them not to take up arms against their comrades (i.e. Sheikh Sharif and his supporters) who helped achieve everything the religious community stood for – namely the extraction of Ethiopians from Somalia and the ushering of Islamic agenda in the national political scene.
Taking up arms against the new president and his government will certainly erode and deplete the little support the religious community may have from the credulous Somali public.
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