CAN SOUTHWEST STATE MAKE ANY TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE?
The initial Southwest State also
known as (Koofur-Galbeed Soomaaliya) was first established by the late “Hassan
Mohamed Nur – Shaatigaduud” by then he was the paramount leader of RRA which on
lasted for three years. The rebirth of the SWS later begun in Oct, 2013 where community
elders and intellectuals across six regions started to work on the formation of
the regional state but on the contrary another movement started in Baidoa main
town to form three regions state. As the simultaneous opposing parties
continued their campaigns; on 3rd March,20134 Madobe Nunow was elected as the president of the six state regions
while Sharif Hassan side insisted on
the 3 regions state formation through his closely allied political flag bearer
Mr. Abdinur.
Failure of the six regions state:
Despite the fact that Madobe Nunow
was elected by key community elders and supporters from the six regions of
(Bay,Bakool,Gedo,Lower Shabelle and the two JUBA). Nunow’s state government
lacked the support and back of both the SFG and that of the International
Community too. The Somali Federal Government had official stated that it doesn’t
recognize Nunow’s government which technically lacked the right frame work in establishing
a realistic and balanced government. The SFG had to stand down in light of
avoiding further political mayhem because JUBBALAND was already in place and operational
with interim administration headed by Ahmed Madoobe.
The international community had also
declined the three-state government in the interest of not jeopardizing the SFG
relation with JUBBALAND due to the strategic port city of Kismayu. Mr
Nicholas Kay similarly indicated that he would continue to work
closely with the AU, EU and IGAD to support a Somali federal government-led
three-region state formation process for the southwestern provinces.
The emerging of the 3 state governments.
After months of political turmoil and
numerous demonstrations in Baidoa main town had triggered the official involvement
of the SFG and on 23 June 2014, the office of Federal Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari hosted an
event announcing the merger of the two competing administrations into a single
three-region state, which is to be composed of the Bay, Bakool and Lower
Shabelle province. The 3 state governments received full attention and support
of the SFG and that of the International Community. In mid October; President
Mohamud had officially opened a state formation conference in Baidoa for the
three-region Southwestern State of Somalia.
Significant number of the Six-state
regions politicians had finally joined into the three-state one in light of power
sharing deal which specified that the South West Somalia six-region's leadership
will be granted the new federal state's vice president and parliament speaker
positions.
Formation of three-state
government cabinet.
On Sunday, 4th Jan, 2015 president
Sharif Hassan had officially announced the appointment of his first 20 member
cabinet with no single women among the new cabinet appointed in Baidoa yet
there is not parliament to either approve or disapprove it. The question yet
remains on what basis had this cabinet being appoint, is it a one man decision
with political consultants or is it from the 373 delegates that elected the
government in the first place on 17th Nov, 2014.
Functionality of the three-state government in question.
If you look the appointed cabinet
member in detail in terms of personal capacity against the designated line of
ministry, do some of them really have the capacity / experience to handle it. There
are so many in compatibility and loopholes in the first established body of the
three-state government in consideration of the following key aspects:-
1.
Unbalance
approach – the applied method in appointing the cabinet raises some eyebrows in
terms of the required standard qualifications of the established ministries
again the line ministers.
2.
Considering
the 4.5 power sharing system in Somalia, this three-state regional government
is quite unique and has introduced new whole approach where some of the already
formed cabinet members are not even from the three regions of (Bay,Bakool and
Lower Sheble).
3.
The
appointed cabinet is gender biased, despite the immense political influence of
the women these region; does it mean that women couldn't actually qualify in
becoming a member of the formed cabinet and where does the International
community stand on this regard or the bigger picture is focused than advocating
for mere gender balancing.
4.
The
three-state government seems a visionary one because it isn’t realistic on the
available resource in these regions in terms of the huge budget that the
regional government might need with so many issues on its plate at the moment.
5.
Mistaken
identity or what?? If you look close into the flag of the current three-state
regional government, you will see it has 6 stars that symbolizes the old six
regions state.
There are so many questions that needs
answers and we keep on watching the clock as the countdown to 2016 vision has
started in southwest state.
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