Somalia: President Sharif’s re-election chances
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President Sharif’s re-election chances
By Liban Ahmad, Somalia Research Report
libahm@gmail.com
OPINION
The list of presidential candidates for Somalia’s post- August 2012 presidency is growing. Twenty years ago this time Somalia was in headlines and on prime time TV news because of famine in southern Somalia. Notwithstanding political and security challenges Somalia is facing, efforts to end transitional government and replace it with a permanent government is even backed by Somaliland administration whose president, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, met president Sharif Ahmed of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Dubai a few days ago.
President Sharif Ahmed is a contender for the presidency. The new parliament to be formed will have Members of Parliament ( MPs) half the number of MPs in the outgoing parliament, depriving of president Sharif of the privilege he enjoyed as leader of the former Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia (ARS) when his group was given the same number of MPs as TFG’s after ARS and the TFG signed agreement in 2008 in Djibouti.
President Sharif has several advantages over other presidential candidates. He is no longer described as inexperienced president; he has nearly four years of presidential experience under his belt; TFG forces have, with the help of AMISOM, kicked Al Shabaab out of Mogadishu, Afgoye and Balca’d whereas Ethiopia’s army forced Al Shabaab militias to flee Beledweyne, Baydhabo and some districts in Gedo region; unlike his colleague, Sharif Hassan, the speaker of the transitional parliament, president Sharif is not perceived as keen on handpicking traditional elders of his clan who will select MPs.
The parliamentary speaker’s role in the political process to end the transition is unfairly seen by many people as cumbersome disadvantage for institutions that will be formed in August 2012: the new dispensation will have the same features of the ARS-dominated TFG government formed in 2009 when president Sharif was elected, they argue. Such an outcome may not please Puntland which pushed for ending the transitional government in the hope of seeing a new president in Mogadishu and codifying federalism in the new constitution to be adopted soon as a basis for the new government in August.
Rather than looking at candidacy of president Sharif as threat to interests of various political enemies in Somalia it can be viewed as chance to help people in southern Somalia see the emergence of a new breed of leaders in southern Somalia, a scenario which has the potential to help southern Somalia breathe a new life into its diversity roots. If president Sharif wins re-election in August he can plan for his legacy and take inspiration from the legacy of Aden Abdulle Osman, the first president of Somalia ( 1960-1967) under whose leadership Somalia developed nascent democratic institutions and promoted free speech exemplified by the now defunct English monthly publication, Dalka, ( The Country) launched in 1965 by the late lawyer Yusuf Jama Dhuhul
Liban Ahmad
libahm@gmail.com
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The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Raxanreeb’s editorial policy.
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Shaydaan sharif and his useless minion sold somalia to the Kenyan kufrs. Every south somalian must read article 7 in the constitution which clearly states. ” Article 7 (3) legitimizes the claims of international dispute against Somalia’s territorial, maritime and air borders”. The south somali leaders including the stupid TFG should be brought to justice and sentenced to life in prison. Or better stoned to death for treason.
Under President Sharif’s watch, the TFG has “misplaced” 96 percent of the funds contributed to Somalia by donor countries. If he gets another four years, what do you think his legacy will be: stealing 100 percent of the money meant to help Somalia?
President Sharif is not the problem. Tribe is the real problem in Somalia. Why Somalia never had isaaq tribe president ? Second problem is corruption. Stealing money for poor poeple, shame on you. To all member of government. This is why Somalia is behind 200 years. Somalia is good for fighting and killing each other like ANIMALS. Turkey wants to help Somalia. Two months ago, Turkey man was kill in somalia. That is sad thing in Somalia.
Somali wayne
Its time for all of us (somali’s) to stop being agents
Of chane and accept our responsibilities for the
Future of country once and for all. Our country and
Its sovereignty have been left in the lurch for along time ;as a result
We (children of diaspora) have been suffering the most
Because of the mistakes of our fathers & forefathers .
It’s written in Quran, we have passed death into life
Because the spirit of our brotherhood . There fore, our religion
Forbids quarrel , let along fighting among believers.
Let’s united & fix our country, dignity & pride up regardless
Our tribal difference . I implore you my people …….
Let’s respite our children from the perennial suffrage .
Amen