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President Ahmed M. Mahamoud is Bearer of Peace &
Prosperity
The character of president Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo is
what defines and extrapolates the phenomenal
a chievements attained in the short duration that he has
been at helm and that ultimately differentiates him from
his predecessor. For one, Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo has
been Public servant with a moral responsibil ity to his
country (Daanaya Dalkis) and not a politician. After he
was robbed of the presidency in 2003 with the concocted
bogus mere 80 plus votes, we saw the valor and dignity
in which he conducted him-self with and the manner in
which he chose the path of unity and cohesion of his
country and accepted defeat. His con victions and
fidelity to these sacred and inviolable principles that
he incessantly defends is what shapes his character.
Sacrificing on behalf of all and being obligated and
compelled by moral commitment is nothing new to Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo. The accomplishments of his
administration be it the making of primary and
elementary education free or the doubling of salaries of
the armed forces is not just the right thing to do but
personifies the decency, fairness and justice to our
ever greater ideals as a nation. Ahmed M. Mahamoud
Sil anyo public life of servitude encapsulates an aura of
common purpose and sense of community.
The president’s polycentric frame of delegating by
consensus, hitherto foretold the permitting of the
political parties, the president’s leadership style of
co-opting all stakeholders allies and competitors alike
in contributi ng into the country’s process of decision
making. The committee he relied on to help select
ministers for his cabinet and the many current advisors
he currently retains only reaffirms his virtues and
personifies the pre sident’s ethos of dialogue and
consensus garnered from reasoning together (talo-wadaagga).
The ushering in of new political party’s offer us the
synthesis platform of debate, civil arguments, where
with the plurali stic participatory democracy; we can
ventilate our eclectic views and divergent ideas through
the political party of our choosing.
This president is not a one that is out of touch. He is
occasionally observed strolling and shopping in the
mark ets of Hargeisa unaccompanied which is portent of
his operational capacity and economic background that is
rooted to reality and pragmatic in his approach. The new
NGO laws also go towards addressing and aligning the
needs of our most vulnerable citizens by bring their
plight to the forth front.
This president’s courtesy, civility and quality of
temperament is why many previous politicians of
president Riyale’s avaricious administration who robbed
Somaliland blind hand over fist are walking free, with
all their political posturing and legal maneuvering they
left Somaliland with their banal empty maxims and no
guilt or shame ever expressed to the magnitude of their
callous deeds.
President Ahmed M. Mahamoud with his political acumen
and statesman stature has been able to leverage
Somaliland on its strengths. When the SSC militia
blatantly provoked Somaliland into conflict by its the
aggres sion, the president instead sought to resolve the
issue peacefully and stretching an open hand (Gogol-dhig)
which commenced in accordance to our participatory
traditions of public discourse of debate through
reasoni ng and compromise while remaining true to perdurability of Somaliland’s nomadic idiom of peace and
milk (Na bad iyo Caano) that we live by.
Somaliland was also able to stretch its helping hand and
come to the aid of its fellow neighbors and brothers in
the South. This mirrors the peace loving and god fearing
people that we are and our constitution that is based on
Islamic laws and fundamental tenants of democracy.
Economically we have leaped frogged with the trilateral
agreement with Ethiopia and China with tangible sta kes
for all. Ethiopia is not only Africa’s fastest growing
economy but is one of the world’s fastest growing
ec onomies, which bodes well for every aspect of our
economy. The people of Somaliland have much to offer to
Africa and rest of the world. The pride, the resilience
and drive of the Somaliland people are second to none.
We are innovative, hardworking and willing to embark on
any new frontier where prosperity may loom, just as our
nomadic ancestors were on the move in seeking greener
pastures. We have been able to leverage our strategic
geographic location within this trilateral agreement. As
Richard Burton put it “Berberah is the true key of the
Red Sea, the center of East African traffic”. The people
of Somaliland by a virtue of their geograp hical region
from Zeila to Las Korey have been steeped in art of
commerce and trade. The port and the people of
Somaliland can become the all-important commerce-link of
Ethiopia with the outside world. Domestically this will
have the project will have a multiplier effect that can
propel us to new plateau. We stand to benefit immensely
from Petro Trans investments in our infrastructures. The
building of an oil refinery also means small factories
since the by products from refining are made into
several products thus requiring such factories. The
building of roads and the transportation of the goods
will require logistics and supply-chain management and
the superior port will have greater capacity that will
ultimately lower prices of all staples.
In the end, Anyone can be a leader and hold a political
office and have sharp tongue to sway the masses, but
there are not many like Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo who
with their vision can call all to work for the
betterment of Somaliland and been able to create the
culture and direction of the country to a one more
conducive for goal attainment and that inspires all
citizens to pursue laudable goals.
We all can remember the outcry and uproar that emanated
from the president at his dismay of the looted a nd empty
national coffers in addition to millions dollars in debt
it was saddled with. And still he was the same person a
month later that picked up the first dirt with his
shovel and called all to lend a hand in the national
cleaning campaign throughout the country. Somaliland has
a true and loyal public servant!
We should be able to ask all our leaders and the heads
of all the new political parties, Where is your shovel?
Inshallah until the day we have more investors than Aid
workers in Somaliland.
United we prevail.
Geleh Ali Gulaid
Geleh@hotmail.com
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