From the onset, President Hassan has publicly rejected the Jubaland process, but his reasoning and his evidence has been weak and self-damaging. The President has repeatedly argued that Somalia “is not ready for federalism yet” and, as such, Mogadishu should appoint “governors” to the administrative regions for an interim period, followed by a state formation process led by the Somali Federal Government. Naturally, this argument runs contrary to exactly what President Hassan swore to lead – the Federal Republic of Somalia, with a Federal Constitution that permits the voluntary merger of two or more of Somalia’s former 18 administrative regions. Not to mention that the Jubaland process began prior to President Hassan’s election, in the days when he was an NGO man in Mogadishu.
Political discontent
...This is clear when one views President Hassan’s policy of nominating “governors” in Bay and Hiran regions; in Bay region, there is growing discontent regarding President Hassan’s interference in local affairs...
Imagine, a President criticizing local communities in Kismayo for marshaling their forces to expel Al Shabaab militants and for self-organizing a community convention to establish Jubaland state, while he neglects to give adequate attention to the IDP communities in need, suffering in the camps around Mogadishu? Does President Hassan have his priority list in correct order, or has Somalia’s clearly partisan President been suffocated by clan power struggles to the point of incompetency?
Somalia adopted federalism. To be precise, the Somali National Constituent Assembly adopted the country’s Provisional Federal Constitution in Mogadishu, on August 1, 2012. President Hassan swore on this constitution and he will be judged on his adherence to the constitution. The constitution is the only thing that symbolizes whatever unity is left in Somalia. If President Hassan tramples on the constitution himself, what does he expect other political actors in Somalia to do?
Garowe Online Editorial
