Nairobi (Sunatimes) On the 17th of April the Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Mr. Abdirahman Jabril Hosh and Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Abdullahi Godah Barre, convened a workshop in Nairobi to detail the progress of the Road Map, the Constitution making and the ending of the Transition period.

The well organised one day conference brought together well known Somali dignitaries who were expected to have an input and give their blessing to the ongoing process.Among the attendees were current MP’s of the TFG Parliament, former Prime Ministers, former ministers, Presidents of Regional States, former and reputed civil-servants and journalists.

The aim of the organisers and the two Ministers were to seek the endorsement and advice of the reputed attendees in their report and on the current progress made in Road Map. However on the contrary the legality, legitimacy and lack of inclusiveness of the whole process was questioned much to their disbelieve.

In overwhelming majority the participants were not convinced of the presentation of the two ministers and registered their disapproval of the whole process of the Road Map. In contrast to the anticipation of the two ministers the participants one after the other criticised and condemned the felony and the hijacking of a process that was designed to bring an end to the transition — the Road Map.

The first and most apparent question that was raised was the ‘legitimacy’ of the Road Map and the Constitution process — noting the absence of a Parliament endorsement of the process, hence rendering the outcome as totally inappropriate and de facto illegitimate.

Both Cabinet Ministers accepted and understood the points raised however their response narrowed down to the dilemma that is now surrounding the TFG parliament and that they had no power to solve the issue other than to continue their work of the process.

In same level of heated debated questions were raised of the selection of the future Parliamentariansand the influenceand power the so called‘signatories’have in the process — not disregarding the fact that they, signatories, might be among the candidates seeking the highest Office, therefore labelling the process as biased, corrupt and utterly unfair.

The Minister of Constitution took the answering of this particular question himself — he illustrated that initially in Garowe 1 & 2 it was agreed to form an Interim Election CommissionCommittee which will vet and scrutinise the nominated MP for final approval — but at the same time he acknowledged that the establishment of such committee requires the approval of Parliament and hence in Galkacyo meeting the name of the committee was altered from Election Commission to‘Technical Committee’in order to bypass the legal requirement.Though the committee with the new name will still be carrying out the same tasks — and it will be comprised of individuals put forward by the signatories. This is a factor which was seen by the participants of the conference as a move to design the end product of the process by the signatories.

In a nutshellthe Participants of the Conference which included well known dignitaries of the Somali communitysaw the Constitution and Road Mapprocess as non-inclusive, absence of legitimacy and legality and thus requires reviewing the whole process — since it is unfortunately viable to fail and notbring about the much changes required.

It is fair to note that both Ministers that of International Cooperation and Constitution Affairs, Mr Godah Barreand Mr Jibril Hosh respectively, acknowledgedthe absence of legality and legitimacy but had no other option but to move forward because of the both local and international pressure.

If two TFG Cabinet members could not convince selected audience, some who were former TFG members and almost all TFG supporters, on the legality, fairness and transparency of the Road Map which is to bring an end to the transition period in little over three months — then how on earth would millions that it is set to govern would be convinced. If anything the Nairobi workshop was jolt of realism — there is something amiss in here — Legitimacy, Inclusiveness and Legality. And above allOWNERSHIP.

Warfa Garad Jama

Political Analyst

Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: [email protected]