PRESIDENT HASSAN SHEIKH: THE MUGABE OF SOMALI

President Hassan Sheikh: the Mugabe of Somalia

Before his trip to London Hassan Sheikh has issued a statement suggesting a major change in policy, expressing a closeness to a power-sharing deal and pledging not to grant numerous rights to other Somali clans like Digil Mirifle that were denied under Somalia’s dictatorial government.

Asha Elmi, an influential Hawiye advocate and wife of Prime Minister Saacid, says, “We are looking to monopolize power. We want an all-Hawiye government,” noted Asha Elmi who delivered the statement in a speech during UK Diaspora meeting with members of Hawiye tribe.

 

Currently, it looks that THE dirty face of politics in Somali is the abnormal fixation on not sharing power until foreign powers or the UN mediates it or negotiates it.  This seems to be the main underlying problem in the current Digil Mirifle and Hassan Sheikh impasse, for instance. The same is still true of other Somali tribes, and other key Southern clans. The current crisis in Somali politics is an ambition by Hassan Sheikh and Saacid to exclude Digil Mirifle leaders in the sharing of political power; which in itself is a direct line to state and national resources. One can go on and enumerate all cases in the Somali power-sharing stalemate that have gone either to full-blown war or to some civil strife as a result of the politics of exclusion in sharing what many Somalis call the ‘national pie’.

Just look at the photos below for signs of growing hostility and ethnic political impasse perpetuated by Hassan Sheikh and Saacid.  Speaker Jawari who has usually and often been attending similar meetings, recently started boycotting attendances in conferences including this rally in Mogadishu. 

Again, Jawari and other Digil Mirifle MPs boycotted swearing in ceremony and party held today for the new Somali Police Commissioner.  In attendance were Prime Minister Saacid and all other Hawiye Ministers as well as supporters.