We need a
leader who heals the nation, not one who rubs salt into
their wounds
I am very proud to say that the Somaliland democracy
model was a promising and an encou raging sign for all
African states
By: Eng/Architect Hussein
Adan Igeh (Hussein Deyr)
{UK & The Netherlands}
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The people of
Somaliland are accustomed to the knee-jerk reactions of
President Dahir Riy ale Kahin whenever a fellow
Somalilander tentatively points out his mistakes or
tries to give him well-intended advice for the sake of
common interest. He interprets this as an attack
directed on him to damage his reputation, name and fame.
The President is lacking in self-confidence, tact,
vision and initiative, leadership quality, will-power
and belief. He is creating problems after problems
without consideration of the rule of law, the public
interest and democratic principles which are the
cornerstone of the Constitutional State of Somaliland.
However, electing him again as the President of
Somaliland Republic would be as if a pyrom aniac
man were to be supplied with a large quantity of matches
and allowed to roam free in a paraffin plant!!
Invaluable efforts
I am very proud to
say that the Somaliland democracy model was a promising
and an encou raging sign for all African states,
which could lead that Africa makes overtures to the
right direction. Where once a reasonably democratic
election in Africa might have been hailed as a curiosity
destined to end in conflict or coups Somaliland has
incontestably proved that su ch pessimism seems
misplaced because Somaliland’s democracy is growing from
native gras sroots rather than being imposed from
outside or being imposed by the gun. Somaliland’s case
was unique one; it was the region’s youngest and good
functioning democracy.
Somaliland has beyond
every doubt demonstrated throughout its democratic
achievements and sustained stability a belief in
constructive engagement in international issues for
peace and security development. Somalilanders understand
that each nation and culture is differe nt and,
that democracy won’t look the same everywhere.
In spite of all
atrocities and all the brutal acts that the population
of Somaliland has suffer ed at the hands of the
former regime of Somalia, they succeeded to provide
themselves a peaceful and congenial environment in which
the country’s inhabitants can again resume a normal life
and live side by side peacefully and in harmony.
Somalilander’s have been succe ssfully occupied in
rebuilding their destroyed country, consolidating its
democracy process through free and fair elections for
the local government councils, the national parliament
as well as for the presidency in keeping with the
requirement of Somaliland’s constitution and rule of law
as well as the international accepted standards.
We need a leader who heals the nation, not one who rubs
salt into their wounds. In my opini on, the present
political cynicism in Somaliland turns the potential
voters away from actively political engagement. The
government of Somaliland is lacking of strategic
abilities and a clear policy agenda. There are so many
ways of getting involving the mainstream of the society
into politics and achieving social objectives. The
President of the Republic must be a man of vision, a man
of purpose who is determined to follow his will-power
and belief. We need a leader with strong convictions
whose tend not to change despite the challenges and
obstacles he might faces. What we need is: a leader of
the people, by the people and for the people.
The noble people of Somaliland are expecting that the
leader of the nation should demonstr ate by his
deeds, words and actions that he is a nation builder,
not destroyed; a true demo crat, not an autocrat
with unlimited power, active not passive. We need a
leader who is dri ven by fairness, compassion,
devotion to duty, social justice and equality
consistently appli ed to all community levels, not
only to kith and kin or special inner circle interest
groups.
For many years the
people of Somaliland were subjected to a brutal
oppression and a syste matically ethnic cleansing
campaign at the hands of the former cruel dictatorial
regime and its ruthless cohorts. Whenever they reflect
on these atrocities, it is still burning into their
hearts & minds as the model for the highest degree of
terror against the humanity.
Knowing these
terrible historical facts, the leader of our nation
should be one who is acutely aware of the historical
background of his people, one who takes heed of the
mistakes of the past, learns the lessons and then acts
on them. We need a leader who heals the nation, not one
who rubs salt into their wounds.
In some way Mr. Dahir Riyale Kahin started out in the
most propitious political circumstan ces. In April
2003, against all expectations, he won the first
democratic presidential election ever held in
Somaliland, beating his major opponent; nota-bene; a
seasoned politician and one of the most distinguished
public figure, a nation hero who led the freedom
fighters resi stance movement. The people of
Somaliland dumfounded their antagonists by electing Mr.
Riyale as a leader and they silenced forever all the
pessimistic misconceptions propagated by Somaliland’s
enemies that the predominant clan would never allow to
anyone outside th eir clan to become the President of
the Republic of Somaliland.
So Mr. Riyale became the first President freely and
‘fairly’ elected by the people of Somali land. He
has been given a full mandate to serve the nation and
the national interest in the first place, and to act and
operate according to the rule of low.
The people of
Somaliland had given the President the political capital
and the legislative me ans to do things better.
His success and achievements should be for the
Somaliland’s people to judge. Off course responsibility
entails accountability, that means that the President
will be more accountable to the public and the people of
Somaliland will hold him accountable for all his
actions, deeds and policies as well as the consequences
of them. It depends entirely on the President how he
goes into the history and the way in which he will be
remembered and recorded. After all, he is the one who
will reap the seeds he sowed.
To all intents and purposes Mr. Riyale has demonstrated
that he is not more than a tribal fi gure driven
by clannish sentiments and political favouritism. He
failed to show that he has a collective leadership
quality and he can work with a range of people from
different political and social background. Restoring
trust and belief in political system, in government as
well as the ruling party will be not easy. After the
experience of the past 7 years, winning back people’s
confidence will not be easy game for Mr. Riyale.
By:Eng/Architect Hussein Adan Igeh (Hussein
Deyr)
{UK & The Netherlands} |
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