Somalia: What the Federal Government must do now?
1. Fight corruption at all levels of Government and build up reliable financial standards that can meet the trust and the confidence of the Somalia public and the international donors.
2. Re-invigorate the delivery of public services and demonstrate to the Somali people that the federal government cares its grassroots and the mainstream. Creating jobs and hope for the young people is a fight against Al-Shabaab and the government should embark on the route.
3. Inclusion should happen to all the segments of the country and stop showing exclusion to some while others are appeased. The President of Somalia should be a president for all the citizens and the current practice should be stopped: “This is my group and that one is from that group.”
4. The President should get engaged in a plural manner and get involved in the nation building, rather than focusing on tribal preferences and making the politics of Somalia more tribal-based. The way government is run now demonstrates that effectively.
5. The Federal Government should bring in all the Federal Member states that are now side-lined such as Puntland and Juba and work with the regional groups in establishing their own federal member state. Without doing this in time, the government is doomed to fail and it will not meet the priorities set before 2016.
6. Once all the federal components emerge, then work can start on harmonising their powers, structures and resources sharing and incorporate the changes in the Federal Constitution.
7. If the confidence of the people is not regained, the war against Al-shabab can’t be won. Al-Shabab has strong roots in those clans that are marginalised. This is the main reason why Al-Shabaab seems to be successful in Mogadishu and in the area between Fiidow to El Buur and from Fiidow to Buqda to Qurac Joome. And the same is valid from Baydhaba to Jilib and Jammaame. The government has to attract the minds and hearts of its people.
8. The damage done, up to now by the FGS, has to be reversed and FGS has to re-invent itself. It is not too late to do that.
Abdulkadir Abiikar Hussein: Self-study and a great interest for Somali studies: geography, resources, folk culture and history of the Somali people and federalisation of Somalia. Abdulkadir is a Somalicurrent Blogger.