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SOMALIA: GOVERNMENT IN ABSENTIA May 28, 2005
<|yusuf_geddi.jpg||left|>How do governments in exile function? They don’t. But, the new Somali government in Nairobi, Kenya is telling us otherwise. Back in 2000 when Mr. Abdiqasim S. Hassan was elected in Djibouti as head of Somalia state, he headed straight to Mogadishu where his government was derailed by the warlords who have high stakes in the city. At least he took his mission to the people and tried to sale his agenda.
Some experts say Mr. Hassan had much better chance than today’s duo. Almost all Somalis whether in the country or outside welcomed him, and thought he was going to lead the nation out of the rubbles. He had unprecedented media support and became a national hero instantly. His government crumpled as fast as it rose because of financial difficulties and some Mogadishu warlords.
This time around, we have a leader who is reluctant to go home. Mr. Abdulahi Yussuf Ahmed who is now in the UK has been touring the world since his tenure began last October. The Prime Minister Mr. Ali Mohamed Geddi, now in Paris, has also been traveling extensively. Another delegation led by the second vice-prime minister is in Yemen for talks.
The first vice prime minister, Mr. Farah Qanyare whose faction controls small enclave in Mogadishu and the speaker of the house Mr. Sharif Hassan with a plane full of parliamentarians broke ranks with them and went to Mogadishu in protest. They are now trying to discredit the two leaders.
The clock is ticking for their term in office and they are losing public support every day they stay outside of Somalia.
The president and the prime minister say they want to take everything that contributed to the fall of the 2000 government into consideration and do it differently this time. The biggest factor is Mogadishu warlords who will never surrender their weapons to less powerful politicians. The two are trying to rally African Union (AU) behind them to muscle the warlords which may result disastrous new civil war. If that doesn’t happen, their second option is to grab as much land as possible and isolate Mogadishu for the time being.
The prime minister announced his government’s relocation date to be May 28th before he went to France yesterday. Most likely they will move to Jowhar which is about 90 KM north east of Mogadishu.