Sunatimes.com - Somalia is in a critical situation right now. The tenure of the current government is likely to run out abruptly without a contingent plan. The style of government is reeling to become dysfunctional soon if the administration tries to implement its uncompromising decisions.
The opposition groups ought to learn from the mistakes of this government and prepare your policies before one ends up in the leadership seat. All indications are that many of candidates don’t have enough experience to replace the incumbent. It is wise to write down a manifesto explaing clearly how one wants to implement the policy objectives presented by Heritage Institute. The current government realised the last hour that they had not achieved anything constructive to present in front of Somali Public. They have been managing the country affairs without a good plan and they employed the worst people to all important positions in civil service, security service and legal services.
It is sad to see that the senior, the middle and the low managers lack of experience and administrational skills. They are not equipped, trained or taught that their role to be independent from the political forces in the country. They are there to carry out the instructions of very few trusted people who are there for personal reasons and keen supporters of close knit group. These people don’t have a clue that the civil services, the security services and the legal services are permanent in their positions and their work with the government of the day. Their job descriptions are clear and checkable in a professional check list at the time of appraisals.
It is fair to say that there are procedures to deal with any underperforming officials which records everything in transparent with consultations of the labour unions. The system ought to be seen to be fair to the people when hiring or firing, promoting or disciplining government employees. There is a government department which is meant to deal with this aspect of the procedural work. That department was dormant when the government appointed the disputed electoral committee.
In Somalia, this department is very weak and employees are given responsibilities outside their abilities or abused on daily bases. They are even encouraged or corrupted to break the law of the land or forced to work in a fearful environment in order to keep their jobs. The concept of whistleblowing and exposing corrupted politicians are not encouraged. They are not familiar with the role of the media in democratic system and talking or briefing journalists with documentary evidences that can expose corruption and that they can play a meaningful role to clean up the system from the corrupted politicians.
Both the politicians in the government and opposition ought to understand that the civil service, security service and legal service are independent from politics and they should not be blackmailed or forced to do dirty jobs outside from their responsibilities.
Analysts believe that the people who are responsible the important services of the country ought to be selected on bases of their experience, qualifications, trainings. They must be employed on merit regardless of sex, clan affiliation, nepotism or corruption, if Somalia were to have a professional work force.
Many successive administrations failed to appoint the necessary constitutional commissions who are designed to account the government dealings with public and private matters. That is why the legal system and the civil service are weak and broken and commandeered or abused by inept politicians.
The behaviour of the future governments and its political decisions can only be balanced and checked by effective and professional commissions or committees led by experienced people in their respective fields. It is sad to report that senior officials in the government are not happy with the imminent political failure of the current administration as their future is on the line, because they are asked to deliver very hard job of rigging elections for the government or even worse...
They are broken and paralyzed by the unfolding scenarios. Obviously, They need psychological treatment and the next president will inherit that traumatised workforce.The end.
By Mohamed Mohamud Adde
The author is an academic and an Independent Somali Political Analyst who is based in Mogadishu
Somalia is in a critical situation right now - Paralyzed Workforce
Sunatimes.com - Somalia is in a critical situation right now. The tenure of the current government is likely to run out abruptly without a contingent plan. The style of government is reeling to become dysfunctional soon if the administration tries to