Hassan Sheikh: Not the President I Expected
July 4, 2013
People in general and his staunch supporters in particular refer to our current president, Hassan Mohamoud as the elected president. This statement is misleading as President Hassan was not elected but selected. The president was selected by a handful of un-elected parliamentarians who came to the limelight when limited elders thumbed their signatures on paper. Furthermore, Hassan became the president not because of his intellect, experience, and proven leadership but because the selection process occurred in his own backyard.
It is my opinion that if the process were to happen in any other city, say for example Hargeisa, we could have professor Samatar or Silanyo as the president. And if it were held, say, in Garowe, Abdiweli would have been the man on the top. Farmajo would’ve fared better in any other city. And if elections were to be held in Kismayu now, Ahmed Madoobe would be hoisting the trophy.
Some would argue that all clans, at least the major ones have equal representation in the Somali parliament, and therefore, candidates have equal access to these representatives. True, but, imagine, if the elections were in Hargeisa, Silanyo would have his kin business owners showering these parliamentarians with gifts, free lunches, and other accommodations. If you think the fact that hotel owners, SUV owners, security guards in Mogadishu and the Khat bundlers did not tip the balance in favor of the candidates from the surroundings, think again.
There are few experiences that I will always remember that can’t be erased from my memory. The birth of my first new born, the passing of my father, and the time a crocodile almost killed my swimming partner. Other experiences that are vividly stamped in my consciousness include the release of Nelson Mandela from the Robben Island, the tumbling and smoking twin towers in that fateful 2001 morning, and the selection of our current president Hassan sheikh Mohamoud. I Remember the latter three events because of their significance to the world, to the greatness of humanity in the case of Mandela, and to the future of the Somali people.
In 2001, right at the aftermath of the September tragedy, the world stood with the USA in solidarity and offered support. Because of its superiority in military hardware and the weakness of the enemy, America got cocky and arrogant. A few days later, then President G.W. Bush grabbed the now infamous aphorism and said to the rest of the world “you are either with us or against us”. The moment Bush finished his phrase, Americans knew that many will not be with them and the rest was history. The world coalition became the “willing coalition” of Poland and Britain.
In contrast, Mandela stepped out of the gates of his prison cell and met thousands upon thousands of supporters, mostly black South Africans, wielding machetes ready for battle. Revenge was in the air. Mandela, did not like what he was seeing, and there, he told his backers that they need to change their behavior or he will not be their man. He knew that he would not allow these angry young men, regardless of their past grief, to destroy his country. Mandela knew he needed the trust of the non-black South Africans to keep the country together. He knew that South Africa could only go forward with the whole sum of its people, Blacks, whites, Asians, and Coloreds. By standing up to his supporters, Nelson earned the trust of his tormentors and detractors. White South Afrikaners stayed put and never left their country. That was the mark of statesmanship. Nelson Mandela had a vision to save South Africa.
To paraphrase the former Texas senator, Ben Nelson, during his vise-presidential debate with Dan Quayle, he aptly retorted “Mr. President, you ain’t no Nelson Mandela”.
When President Mohamoud was selected among his peers, with his supposedly squeaky clean past, Somalis were elated. Somalis of all clans and regions were excited. Some even equated the selection of Hassan to be Manna from heaven. Hassan had a lot going on for him when he came to Villa Somalia: nationalists longing for unity, the International Community ready to help, and Al-shabab forces in their last throngs.
The mark of a competent president is demonstrated by the ability to recruit the right men and women in his cabinet, assign them the right posts, and entrust the lieutenants to do the right jobs. As we all know now, Hassan has none of that. The President is a foreign diplomat. He receives visiting deputy prime ministers of nations, large and small. He meets with the undersecretary of environment for the UN. He negotiates with IGAD secretariat about what to do with Ahmed Madoobe. In the process, the President reduced his prime minister akin to what we call here in the USA an affirmative action nomination or a token presentation to show diversity.
In my years as an observer to Somali clan politics, I have never seen the two most influential segments of the Somali clans so polarized that it threatens the existence of the republic. But apparently, the president does not share my pessimism and fails to recognize the danger. Somalis are not good at finding common ground but are well skilled in creating divisions. And this president does not miss to create mistrust between two clans. You can safely say that the clan that dominates the central regions and the capital overwhelmingly supports this president. The opposite is true for the dominant clan in Puntland and the Jubba regions. And this president is not even attempting to change this perception.
Hindsight is 20/20, but was the selection of Hassan Manna from heaven or the spell and preview of the new curse coming to Somalia?
It is too early to fully answer this question at this moment but the trajectory is not good. People prefer strong a leader especially in time of enormous challenges rather than a weak one and Somalis are no different but does Somalia need a dictator, my way or the highway type of dictator? As demonstrated by his rigid and inflexible approach to politics, Hassan Sheikh may not be the leader Somalia needs in its current fetal state.
In a speech at the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) leadership forum in Quebec City, author John Spence said “Intentionally or unwittingly, leaders model the culture of their organizations. Sending the wrong message can make that culture one of distrust-and have a real impact on your success”. Unfortunately, President Mohamoud’s culture of survival of the fittest may have already created distrust among the Somali people.
Hassan M. Ugas
July 4, 2013
People in general and his staunch supporters in particular refer to our current president, Hassan Mohamoud as the elected president. This statement is misleading as President Hassan was not elected but selected. The president was selected by a handful of un-elected parliamentarians who came to the limelight when limited elders thumbed their signatures on paper. Furthermore, Hassan became the president not because of his intellect, experience, and proven leadership but because the selection process occurred in his own backyard.
It is my opinion that if the process were to happen in any other city, say for example Hargeisa, we could have professor Samatar or Silanyo as the president. And if it were held, say, in Garowe, Abdiweli would have been the man on the top. Farmajo would’ve fared better in any other city. And if elections were to be held in Kismayu now, Ahmed Madoobe would be hoisting the trophy.
Some would argue that all clans, at least the major ones have equal representation in the Somali parliament, and therefore, candidates have equal access to these representatives. True, but, imagine, if the elections were in Hargeisa, Silanyo would have his kin business owners showering these parliamentarians with gifts, free lunches, and other accommodations. If you think the fact that hotel owners, SUV owners, security guards in Mogadishu and the Khat bundlers did not tip the balance in favor of the candidates from the surroundings, think again.
There are few experiences that I will always remember that can’t be erased from my memory. The birth of my first new born, the passing of my father, and the time a crocodile almost killed my swimming partner. Other experiences that are vividly stamped in my consciousness include the release of Nelson Mandela from the Robben Island, the tumbling and smoking twin towers in that fateful 2001 morning, and the selection of our current president Hassan sheikh Mohamoud. I Remember the latter three events because of their significance to the world, to the greatness of humanity in the case of Mandela, and to the future of the Somali people.
In 2001, right at the aftermath of the September tragedy, the world stood with the USA in solidarity and offered support. Because of its superiority in military hardware and the weakness of the enemy, America got cocky and arrogant. A few days later, then President G.W. Bush grabbed the now infamous aphorism and said to the rest of the world “you are either with us or against us”. The moment Bush finished his phrase, Americans knew that many will not be with them and the rest was history. The world coalition became the “willing coalition” of Poland and Britain.
In contrast, Mandela stepped out of the gates of his prison cell and met thousands upon thousands of supporters, mostly black South Africans, wielding machetes ready for battle. Revenge was in the air. Mandela, did not like what he was seeing, and there, he told his backers that they need to change their behavior or he will not be their man. He knew that he would not allow these angry young men, regardless of their past grief, to destroy his country. Mandela knew he needed the trust of the non-black South Africans to keep the country together. He knew that South Africa could only go forward with the whole sum of its people, Blacks, whites, Asians, and Coloreds. By standing up to his supporters, Nelson earned the trust of his tormentors and detractors. White South Afrikaners stayed put and never left their country. That was the mark of statesmanship. Nelson Mandela had a vision to save South Africa.
To paraphrase the former Texas senator, Ben Nelson, during his vise-presidential debate with Dan Quayle, he aptly retorted “Mr. President, you ain’t no Nelson Mandela”.
When President Mohamoud was selected among his peers, with his supposedly squeaky clean past, Somalis were elated. Somalis of all clans and regions were excited. Some even equated the selection of Hassan to be Manna from heaven. Hassan had a lot going on for him when he came to Villa Somalia: nationalists longing for unity, the International Community ready to help, and Al-shabab forces in their last throngs.
The mark of a competent president is demonstrated by the ability to recruit the right men and women in his cabinet, assign them the right posts, and entrust the lieutenants to do the right jobs. As we all know now, Hassan has none of that. The President is a foreign diplomat. He receives visiting deputy prime ministers of nations, large and small. He meets with the undersecretary of environment for the UN. He negotiates with IGAD secretariat about what to do with Ahmed Madoobe. In the process, the President reduced his prime minister akin to what we call here in the USA an affirmative action nomination or a token presentation to show diversity.
In my years as an observer to Somali clan politics, I have never seen the two most influential segments of the Somali clans so polarized that it threatens the existence of the republic. But apparently, the president does not share my pessimism and fails to recognize the danger. Somalis are not good at finding common ground but are well skilled in creating divisions. And this president does not miss to create mistrust between two clans. You can safely say that the clan that dominates the central regions and the capital overwhelmingly supports this president. The opposite is true for the dominant clan in Puntland and the Jubba regions. And this president is not even attempting to change this perception.
Hindsight is 20/20, but was the selection of Hassan Manna from heaven or the spell and preview of the new curse coming to Somalia?
It is too early to fully answer this question at this moment but the trajectory is not good. People prefer strong a leader especially in time of enormous challenges rather than a weak one and Somalis are no different but does Somalia need a dictator, my way or the highway type of dictator? As demonstrated by his rigid and inflexible approach to politics, Hassan Sheikh may not be the leader Somalia needs in its current fetal state.
In a speech at the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) leadership forum in Quebec City, author John Spence said “Intentionally or unwittingly, leaders model the culture of their organizations. Sending the wrong message can make that culture one of distrust-and have a real impact on your success”. Unfortunately, President Mohamoud’s culture of survival of the fittest may have already created distrust among the Somali people.
Hassan M. Ugas
