How the two Sharifs did contempt their colleagues on Kampala Accord

Of course, no utopian perspective can be expected from the allegedly Kampala accord but yet; the circumstances do change along with the clouds - what is impressive today might be disgusting tomorrow and vise-verse. The Kampala meeting between the imperfect leaders suspended not only the legitimate and capable prime minister but also omitted Somalia from the orbit of political sovereignty and handed over that sovereignty to super-national individuals. Article “n” of the draft presumably deleted Somali Sovereignty and disrespected Somalis dignity, (Get access it here: http://unpos.unmissions.org/Portals/UNPOS/Repository%20UNPOS/110609%20-%20Kampala%20Accord%20(signed).pdf ) Moreover, the draft document completely have no significance for Somali people, Somali dignity as well as Somali territory. It is safe to assume that the two Sharifs are leaders just for themselves without giving priority to their larger circles and even to their close friends who are in their respective institutions. Let us clearly highlight how each has disrespected his associate.

The president has preferred to kick out his political ally (the prime minister) who was at his side for any confrontational situation between him and the Speaker of the parliament, when his presidency came under severe pressure either to accept a national election before the end of his mandate in the office on August this year or to acknowledge humbly the demand from his strong adversary, Sharif Hassan. Sheikh Sharif has carefully calculated that it is easy to expel Farmajo from his position and send him back to Buffalo where the prime minister was originally selected rather than accommodating for national election; and this step has no doubt got pleased by the Speaker of the Parliament and his effective supporter, Augustine Mahiga. Both have had unpleasant attitude toward the prime minister because of his political strategy he had come up with as well as his progressive and tangible achievements on the ground. Moreover, the speaker has never had good personal relation with the prime minister since he has been appointed for his late position and more intentionally the speaker further complicated his approval from the parliament in February as soon as the president announced him to lead the cabinet. On the other hand, Augostine Mahiga, Special Representative of Secretary General of the United Nations for Somalia had similarly political disagreement with the prime minister and any one could easily remember the aftermath of controversial highly consultative meeting in Nairobi that further worsened their political vision on Somalia. Augustine Mahiga figured out that the prime minister has a great ambition and he is not a person who easily accepts everything.

In the light of these facts the prime minister came in between two groups who don’t see anything else except their relative positions and therefore he is vulnerable to be implemented whatever they have agreed upon. More surprisingly, the president seems to have no knowledge about reciprocity considering with the decision he has signed concerning about the suspension of his prime minister. How do you easily forget a strong friend who virtually survived you from an environment of continues political deadlock and little bit raised your expectation for political success in the future? The president could have adopted an alternative political decision that could endanger his adversaries and would let the prime minister to conclude his accomplishments; unfortunately he abstained from that angel and instead led himself for a great political blunder. Nevertheless, it is safe to predict that this pronouncement of Kampala would once again bring the two Sharifs to anew misunderstanding sooner or later! 

Sharif Hassan, the Speaker of the Parliament is a person who gets everything through confrontational process and usually survives from political stalemate with too much active for gambling, has also disrespected some of his colleague whom had intimately desired to see the removal not only the prime minister but also the president. These are included Puntaland, the autonomous region in the North East of the country along with the armed group of Ahlu-Sunna-Walja’ (AHW) who are actively engage for containing Alshabab and have their own political vision. Together they met in Nairobi back on April 12 & 13 on the platform of the consultative meeting organized by UN and it was reported that the two sides have reached common understanding on many issues related to the transitional period of the TFG. However, it yet remaining to be seen how these groups would likely interpret that result from Kampala accord even though no official statement have not been heard so far from them, particularly from Puntland side. Apparently, Puntland seems to have adopted wait-and-see approach to evaluate how and what would likely be the events hereafter, but it is no doubt that it would stand a real position to bargain her strategically interest at the same time project her self-image. On the other side, Sharif Hassan similarly acted unilaterally without taking any views from the so called National Election Committee (NLC) he has appointed to regulate the awaited election on August but nullified it on Kampala. He set up this committee and put them to work but delegitimized them as non-existence without briefing them the shift policy. In result of his marginalization, they have announced Kampala Accord as null and void. Despite he has effective mood of persuading and engaging his adversaries, the NLC would unlikely be opponents and soon would disappear from the scene.

The Accord entirely seems as signed by two political functions that have long standing animosity with different territories; it doesn’t seem just as concerned by a single government. Therefore it would further facilitate the Somalis’ existing burden and would equally prove what most analysts call Somalia as “A failed State”. The Accord virtually and consciously transferred the defective Sharifs into really autocratic leaders because of the adopted mood which rejects that no motion would be tolerated till next year.

By: Abdulkadir Basha

"Didiinglay dhamaateih"