Why Almost Every President Got it Wrong

[Deeq A.]

Somalia is a country rich in resources, with a homogenous population and a strategic location. It boasts the longest coastline in Africa, abundant marine resources, and nearly fifty million head of livestock. Additionally, Somalia has the largest population of camels in the world and is home to a rare species of frankincense that is highly sought after globally. These unique commodities are used in perfumes, medicines, and religious ceremonies. Furthermore, Somalia is twice the size of France and twenty times the size of Rwanda.

In his 1974 book “Warriors: Live and Death among the Somalis”, Gerald Hanley highlights the admirable qualities of the Somali people, noting that they are, if not hard to love, certainly worthy of admiration. He observes that they possess no feelings of inferiority, do not idolize Western ways and are unafraid of them. Furthermore, he asserts that their national intelligence is exceptional, and he concludes that “A Somali always felt himself to be twice as good as any white man, or any other kind of man at all, and still does even when he is wrong”. He adds that “Their natural intelligence is second to none, and when the education factories start work among them, they should surprise themselves and the rest of Africa”. He further states that “All races in Africa, there can’t be one better to live among than the most difficult, the proudest, the bravest, the vainest, the most merciless, the friendliest, the Somalis”.

The founders of our independence envisioned a nation of true warriors dedicated to preserving the freedom and dignity they had fought so hard to achieve. They dreamed of a democratic country that would strive to provide a decent life for its people, promote peaceful coexistence, and bring those in the colony into the fold. The five sides of our beautiful flag, decorated with the clean blue sky, represent these core values and principles, which are deeply rooted in our DNA and enshrined in our constitution.

However, after 65 years of hard-won independence, Somalia appears to be struggling under poor leadership, unprincipled politicians, weak institutions and rampant corruption. These issues have become a burden and stigma to our people, both within the country and abroad. Our abundant resources have turned into a curse, while our seas have been transformed into dumping grounds for European waste and toxic materials. Additionally, our marine resources are being depleted by internationally sponsored and protected fleets of trawlers that destroy centuries-old coral reefs and fish habitats. The illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Somalia’s waters is estimated to cost Somalia up to $300 million annually. It is primarily carried out by international fishing vessels from Europe, particularly Spain, Iran, China, Pakistan, and Yemen, which are only authorized to operate within 24 to 200 nautical miles of Somalia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The question that often arises is what happened to this once great nation, and why is it now underperforming in almost every aspect of life? We used to be regarded as the “bride of Africa”, the first democracy on the continent, and a stronghold for many freedom fighters from Kenya to South Africa, and from Angola to Zimbabwe. Our military intervened in the conflict between Tanzania and Uganda and helped broker peace deals in various regions of Africa. Many freedom fighter rebels opposing the Ethiopian junta, including Meles Zenawi & Isaias Afwerki, were known to hold Somali diplomatic passports, among other freedom fighters from Africa.

The most concise answer to the question is leadership. As observed, leadership is crucial during times of uncertainty, public discord, civil unrest, and national calamities, such as prolonged civil war and protracted political disputes, as seen in the case of Somalia. According to Neeley Cain of Charleston Southern University, on the importance of leadership at business levels, he said that “crises are inevitable in organizations. Success during a crisis will depend on how leadership handles the situation”.

A good leader can foster growth during an emergency, while a bad leader can ruin it when faced with disaster. “A leader’s inability to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances affects the team too. The success or demise of a company is determined by how its leaders respond to the problem” . This principle is relevant in fragile states like Somalia, where effective leadership becomes even more essential. While leadership is vital at all times, it is of paramount importance during times of crisis and conflicts. Likewise, Abhishek of Engagedly emphazises that “the real test of leadership does not occur when everything is sailing smoothly”. Instead, leadership is oftentimes tested during a crisis. The way a leader behaves and acts during a crisis will establish their credentials as either a good or poor leader.

Following the 1969 military coup d’état and the subsequent abolition of the country’s constitution, restrictions on democracy, freedom of speech, and the right to gather were severely imposed, and political parties were banned. In this environment, the leadership became entrenched in tyranny, prioritizing their own agendas over the needs and aspirations of the citizens. I do vividly remember the widespread misuse of public funds, large-scale embezzlement of public resources, extensive corruption, and rampant nepotism. Despots were allowed free rein to loot, while political leaders enriched themselves on the expense of the public.

The situation can best be described by a saying from a Somali poet in the same circumstance, “bal muxuu macnaa uu I tarey ministerkaan doortey”, which loosely translates to “what on earth did I gain from the Minister I have elected”. This sentiment ultimately contributed to the downfall of what was once a proud nation, Somalia. As I grew up at the onset of civil war, I believed that a change of leadership at Villa Somalia meant that anyone who married my mother would become my uncle.

I never imagined that I would face the threat of losing my life, simply because I belong to a particular tribe, an identity not of my choosing, but a result of divine grace and fate. I have recently documented my experiences in a series of articles titled “The Journey of Two Thousand Miles: Lessons from Somalia’s Civil War”, which can be found in parts I, II, III, and IV at WardheerNews.

As the country began to recover from the civil war and re-establish its state at the Arta Conference in Djibouti in 2000, the transpired leader at the time remained trapped in a tribal mindset and failed to understand the gravity of the situation and the danger our nation was facing. The infamous clan-based power-sharing mechanism of 4.5 was adopted and applied as the basis of the new parliament seats. This adherence to tribalism led the Transitional National Government (TNG) to become Mogadishu-bound and not expand beyond. In 2004, the introduction of the federal system during the formation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Mbagathi, Kenya, established a devolved system in the country. This system takes into account the on-the-ground dynamics, as Somalis have resettled based on clan affiliations for safety, sanity and stability.

The completion of the Provisional Constitution in 2011/12 was intended to lead to meaningful reconciliation, a sensible mechanism of sharing power and an equitable distribution of International reconstruction aid. However, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) chose to position itself as the sole legitimate authority in the country, operating in what appears to be a dictatorial manner, acting as a unitary state. This approach centralizes all resources, which are then distributed at the discretion of the relevant parties. Additionally, the FGS has misused its control over Somalia’s airspace, as recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), to restrict the citizens’ freedom of travel and move as they wish, often causing hardship for individuals travelling to and from regions that do not align with the interests of Villa Somalia.

The city-states chose to concentrate state authority within their respective state capitals, neglecting the proper federal system, which consists of three levels of governance: central, state, and local governments. This concentration of power, however, was limited to the state capitals, resulting in a distorted form of federalism that is relatively unknown elsewhere in the world. It is essential to acknowledge that leaders at both the central and state levels have consistently failed to address governance issues, resulting in unprecedented levels of corruption and misappropriation of public funds throughout Somalia’s history.

As a consequence, Somalia has struggled to overcome its status as a fragile state, consistently demonstrating the poorest performance in terms of accountability, transparency and good governance worldwide. According to the latest report from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Somalia scored 9 out of 100.

This positions it at 179th out of 180 countries, continuing a trend of being recognized as one of the most corrupt nations globally . Since 2000, every president elected has focused on their own re-election bid on the first day in office and has almost forgotten the promise they made to the public through the constitutional swearing-in ceremony to work for God, people, and country. Indeed, almost all presidents since then got it wrong.

As Ismail Warsame of WDM put it eloquently, “Somalia’s tragedy is not merely Al-Shabab’s existence, but the collective amnesia that allows perpetrators to rebrand as saviours. Warlords become ministers, extremists become reformists, and sponsors of student militias become “His Excellency”.

Unless Somalia reproduces leaders like Aden Abdulle Osman & Abdirizak H. Hussein, in the league of Nakruma, Nasser, and Nelson Mandela, it is unlikely that the country will escape the perpetual state of fragility and failure to defend its independence and territorial integrity from hovering vultures. The choice is ours.

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Ali Haji Warsame MA MBA CPA CGMA
Executive Director – Hiil Institute.
Former Puntland Minister of Education
Email: ali.warsame@hiilinstitute.org

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