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Somalis have become so disillusioned with the failures of successive prime Ministers since the first Somali government was formed in Embagathi in Kenya after more than a decade of anarchy. Few Somalis therefore hold much hope that things might improve with the next Prime Minster. They only have to remember previous prime ministers who lacked integrity, competence or experience. Professor Gedi, despite his distinguished academic title has left office making little or no impact on delivering what he promised on assuming office. Equally, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, the outgoing Prime Minister, came to office using the magic of his father’s name to make up for his glaring lack of experience and competence. He too left office with no better legacy than his predecessors. Such memories make most Somalis so cynical about the TFG.

However, there is nothing inevitable about this state of affairs provided the right man for the job is appointed and a working relationship maintained with the president. Now that Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke has dearted, President Sheikh Sharif has a golden opportunity to put national interest above everything else and look for a candidate who combines exemplary integrity, honesty, competence and experience. No one is perfect but these are the qualities that Dr. Abdelkarim Hassan Jama, presently the Chief of Staff &  Senior Advisor to President Sheikh Shariff Ahmed, can bring to the post if appointed. Needless to say, he stands head and shoulder above all other contending candidates and in a normal situation his appointment would have been a forgone conclusion. But normal times do not prevail in Somalia. It is no secret that his choice would not go down well with some parties in Somalia accustomed to holding this post as if it was their God-given right, or with some neighbouring countries who want Somalia to remain permanently holed in its quagmire. President Sheikh Sharif should resist such pressures and put national interest above everything else.

Dr. Abdulkareem has held senior posts in his distinguished career. These include: Adjunct Professor at Devry University, IT Management with SAGE Publications, President and Member of Board Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Centre and Chairman of the Somali American Peace Council. These complementary and mutually -reinforcing experiences together with the one year and eight months Dr Abdulkareem has thus far served as Senior Advisor to President Sharif, and above all his admirable personal qualities are what the post of Prime Minister is crying for and these ought to be the factors that concentrate President Sharif’s mind in going through the selection process.

But there is another important factor that President Sharif should bear in mind. Since Siyad Barre’s government, only one northerner has held the post of Prime Minister. Otherwise the twin posts of President and Prime Minister have been monopolised by southerners. Indeed, the secessionists use past unfair sharing of government posts as the reason for their breakaway. Dr. Abdulkarim comes from the regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) , which are part of Punt land but also share history and geography with the north (former British Somaliland). The SSC regions are the bridge that ensures the unity of Somalia. That is why Dr. Abdulkareem has the full support of the Northern Somalia Unionist Movement (NSUM).  If integrity, experience and competence and the defence of Somalia’s.

unity mean much, Dr Abdulkareem’s choice should have the support of President Sharif and all patriotic Somalis who care about the future of their country.

Northern Somali Unionist Movement (NSUM) is a grass roots Somali organization whose members and supporters hail from Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions in the Northern regions of Somalia(formerly British Somaliland)  and whose clan in these regions do not identify with the one -clan-driven secession calling themselves” Somaliland”. NSUM stands for the promotion of peace and unity among the long-suffering people of Somalia.

NSUM_infoDesk

Contact: www.n-sum.org

Contact: abdiwahab Mohamed yusuf