Silver Spring Hotel, Nairobi Kenya November 16, 2008

The one day forum on “Leadership Challenges in Somalia” was organised by National Civic Forum (NCF) in partnership with Heinrich Boll Foundation. A total number of 26 distinguished men and women participants from the local NGOs, Civil Society and peace activist members as well as Somali Diaspora members attended the forum.

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The forum was facilitated by Mr.  Ali Abtidon Halane and Mohammed Ogle from Somali Consultants for Organizational Development, Research and Empowerment (SCORE) - a local Consultant NGO.

 The opening speech is given by Mr Abdullahi Haider - a member of National Civic Forum who has welcomed the forum participants with kind appreciation and acknowledged their attendance at the forum. He introduced briefly other NCF members whom he said will introduce the participants about NCF and the forum of the day. Mr Haider, also introduced the participants the forum facilitators who will manage the forum. The speech was given to Mr. Mohamed Barre – NCF executive Director, to introduce the forum about NCF vision, mission, and objectives etc.

 

Forum Goals 

• The forum was organised to elaborate on leadership challenges in Somalia past and present. What went wrong? Why the Somali leaders have been failing all along? And what is the contribution and the role of Somali scholars and professional to respond to the leadership needs required in curbing the nation’s desperation successive failures. 

Objectives

 Provide a forum for debate and dialogue, and elaborating on leadership challenges in Somalia.

• Facilitate understanding of the factors that inhibit or promote leadership, unity and integrity.
• Review past history and existing situation in the subject matter to identify challenging factors that hinder the required leadership in Somalia. 

• The main objective of the workshop is to act as a venue to empower Somalis to present their views and perspectives on behalf of the Somali people on issues affecting them,
• The overall objective of the one day forum is to how Somali intellectuals, professionals, civic and peace activist members can contribute valuable recommendations on the “Leadership challenges in Somalia”

• Develop and strengthen scholastic ideas of leadership capabilities in promoting effective peace and order.

 

Background - National Civic Forum:

 National Civic Forum was formed in 2004 with the goal of bringing together the people of Somalia to become involved and contribute to the discussions and advocacy on issues related Somalia. The purpose of the forum, therefore is to bring together different participants to enable them reflect, discuss and understand the tragic failure of leadership in Somalia, past and present.

The forum presentations also included leadership failures, in terms of interventions-external and internal- on political situation in Somalia past and present.

 Briefly on NCF, Mr Barre, elaborated on the functions of NCF and the NCF’s forum and panel discussion sessions for the benefit and information of, particularly new participants attending the Forum.

 1.       What is National Civic Forum? He informed the participants that NCF was formed in September 2004 with the objective of bringing together the people of Somalia to become involved in contribution to discussions on issues related to Somalia and help play an advocacy role. The essence of the NCF is the involvement of the contributions of the country well being as well advocacy, and to help Somalis in never giving up on the issues bedevil the Somalia. The meeting and the subsequent ones are meant to help the NCF participants to reflect, discuss and understand the tragic failure of leadership in Somalia. 

2.       He informed the participants that there will be a paper that shall be presented on leadership-failure, and there will also on a paper that will highlight the concern on interventions- both external and internal on political situation of the country.

3.       He described the main objective of the Forum as a venue to empower Somalis to write and present on behalf of the Somalia people their perspective on issues of importance in Somalia and affecting the Somalia people and country. He sought to know why Somalis do not write on issues relating to their country leaving the foreigners to write on issue affecting Somalia and present them as well to the international world arena.

 

 

AIMs OF NCF- 

1. The generation of ideas relevant to the transitional federal government mandated period of beyond. This idea will become the bases for new public debates and discussions on the welfare of Somali people.
2. The dissemination of this ideas through various medias and publications
3. The persistent and positive engagement of the transitional federal government, the Somali society, and international communities, particularly those who are interested the being of republic of Somalis.

To this effect, NCF- supports all stakeholders in establishing and advocating for an effective mechanism to local, regional, national authority and international community for the respect of human right and development. 

NCF shall:

-    Generate ideas relevant to the transitional federal government mandated period and beyond. These ideas shall form a basis for new public debates and discussions on Somali people’s welfare.

-     Disseminate this information through various Medias and publications.

-    Persistently and positively engage the Transitional Federal Government, Somali society, and International community.

To this end NCF shall support all stakeholders in establishing and advocating for effective mechanism to local, regional, national authority and international Community for respect of human rights and development.

 

Forum Norms

 

The participants set the following norms to be observed during the proceedings of the forum:

• No side talking
• One speaker at a time
• Respect ones ideas
• No interruptions

 

Methodologies 

The forum was theoretically conducted on participatory basis at a round table, involving the need to have everybody a freedom to express his/her views; thus, an approach on sharing ideas has been applied. Almost everyone participants had something to say in any of the items on the themes. The NCF role in the forum was mainly facilitative. The following participatory methods were actively utilized and seen as the best method of getting ones ideas: 

• Experience sharing (experiential learning)
• Questions and answers among participants
• Re-directing questions from participants to participants for answers to see whether some members share a common view on one bone of contention,
• Etc. 

2.0. Forum Proceedings 

2.1          Brief Somali Background 

Participants were introduced to defining stages of leadership during Somali’s Millennia History by Mr. Farah Sh. Abdulkadir, starting with the traditional state and also leadership failure as experienced in Somalia since the traditional society and system of decentralized clan and functional pastoralists’ arrangements. Somalia during the revolution years as well back history as below:

-    The Traditional Society Statehood

-    Colonial Era governance

-    First Independence government-1960-69

-    The Socialist Government under Siad Barre-1969-90 (referred to as Somalia Revolution).

-    The Conflict Era and warlord’s decentralized regime (and the 13 peace agreements – quest for Peace)

-    The Islamic Courts

-    The current TFG arrangement and Islamist insurgency. 

One of the participants gave a brief background of Somalia Political History since the 1960s.The internationally recognized state of Somalia was formed by the merger of a former Italian colony with a British protectorate in July 1960. The newly independent Republic of Somalia had a number of short-lived civilian regimes before Mohamed Siad Barre led a military coup in 1969, the “October Revolution”. Widely popular at first, Barre proclaimed Somalia a socialist state and the country flourished. May be this was visionary and had strategy till 1977 era. However, under pressure following disastrous attempts in the late 1970s to incorporate Ethiopian-held “Somali territories”, Barre moved to dictatorial extremes to secure his power and effectively divided the country along clan lines. 

In 1991, Barre was overthrown. His survival politics had created such division amongst the opposing clans that no unifying replacement could be found and the country descended into lawlessness, split into warring factions. A UN peacekeeping intervention led by American troops moved in during December 1992, but faced violent resistance and could not change the then situation. Since then the plight of Somalia has largely been ignored by the international community, other than in relation to concerns that the country might serve as a haven for terrorists and drug smugglers. Indeed, some Somalis accuse neighboring countries such as Ethiopia of seeking to exploit and protract their internal conflicts in order to keep Somalia weak and thus maintain pre-eminence in the Horn of Africa. The warlords have continued their antipathy towards international peacekeepers, resisting proposals by the transitional government throughout 2005 to install an African Union force.
A recent upsurge in fighting in and around Mogadishu may have introduced a new dimension to the conflict in what appears to be a struggle for power between ‘Islamists’ and warlords. Some commentators suspect the US of financially supporting the warlords in pursuit of the aims of the global "war on terror". 

 

2.2          Introduction: The Discussion Topic

 “Leadership Challenges in Somalia” -The discussion topic, was presented by NCF member- Mr. Farah Sh. Abdulkadir as a discussion brainstorming. The presentation highlighted and dwelled on defining leadership and its various forms and manifestations. The question being: What is the leadership? Why the leadership of the country? What are the core obstacles of the leadership systems? 

 The paper dwelled on leadership in Somalia – that the Country leadership style is in constant state of change and therefore fail to attain the consistency required to gain the support of the people. The paper concluded that as a result of the frequent changes many people have failed to reconcile themselves with governance and do not therefore know its essence. As a result leadership has become a divisive issue since there is lack of singular interpretation, leading to frequent conflicts and the current destruction on common resources for the country including the crucial basic infrastructure.

  

3.0            Plenary Forum Proceeding Discussions 

Key issues and discussions 

• It has been asked why Somalis are not getting the type of leadership they require? Somalis had leadership, under the past 100 years. The participants also had to ask whether Somalian people refrain from foreign policies and intervention. Back to Sayid Mohammed Abdule Hassan (Darawish), He was said he was from HIJAZ zone, and at the time Somali people believed they were under colonial powers, hence, the patriotic and nationalistic persons used to approach and go to the HAJJ and meet other Arabs who then mobilized them on fighting.
• It has been reflected the struggle of Somali Youth Club (SYL), which is said the name SYC-who the name its self seemed self explanatory- “CLUB” foreign name, it self-Italian organized program,-after years has changed to be SYL. The leadership then was pro-Italian. On the military of the country where was vague-which was socialism. Where was this socialism borrowed from? The powerful national then was this agenda.  Likely, Somali people are purely Muslims hence the idea could not work effectively. The questions are we sincere on the issues in the country? Hopefully then we can bring change and determinations. 

• By An Observation- the life in the country had changed and that all Somali people were responsible for the conflict in the country. In retrospect, the reconciliation meetings, more than 15, haven’t bared the fruits expected from local grass roots, it as solely been foreign driven. To some extent one can claim to be our neighbors but fact remains its Somali’s own self interest.

Despite, the leadership starts from the support of community, numerous reconciliation meetings held outside of the Somali territory failed because of the clanism.  Fresh example, the recent meeting of IGAD brought more confusion among the TFG itself. The civil society, traditional leaders and Somali intellectuals have lost their role; hence they have to regain and be active on every aspect of healing and reconciliation process that would lead stabilization of the country.  

• It has been stressed the need for a government and argued that clanism isn’t new and every community in the world has a form of it, except in Africa where illiteracy/ignorance, backwardness and poor economic development, has dragged the continent in deeper and deeper turmoil. Traditionally, there were mechanism and ways of solving internal difference and this was successful and was durable. The problem of leadership cannot be solved unless economic and education is sorted out. Mismanagement and corruption has been endemic owing to meager salaries paid to civil servants. Unless people strengthen educational status and economy as well explore to utilize wisely their available resources, people or even their leadership would be susceptible to external influences and intervention. And so long these inhibits are prevailing “We cannot be an independent country. 

• Reflecting the issue of people uprising against the depressing past military regime, it has been encouraged to take the past as a time of experience, but to this era, it is needed to discuss leadership especially the system of governance and government which is essential in brining out good leadership. Leaders shouldn’t be nominated but at least have grass root support. For comments on the current government that competing interests have over ridden the good especially in constitutional making as exemplified by the changes in the constitution without consultation. The role of the elite also featured as that they should forget their personal interest and place the country’s first.

Ownership of the constitution should be paramount for the people of Somalia. Posed by a question on the current federalism and if people do really understand what federalism is? By the way, “we should be against federal and division of our country, and community. Let’s not agree to be fallen apart instead of rebuilding, reconciling and unifying the country’. 

• It was pointed out that what Somalia is currently lacking is the role model of good leadership. Then a question arose from the fact Somalia hasn’t had good leadership for quite sometime: but why? Perhaps the financial support for reconciliations meetings wasn’t enough to bring enough participants. The other problem with the meetings was issues wasn’t discussed but  petty things like clanism/tribe etc which used not to feature traditionally but now has bogged down meetings. On the other hand, Somalis in Diaspora aren’t doing enough to support the country possibly because they don’t want to come back, while most of the rest inside the country are in trauma because of the endless deadly fighting and further, are overwhelmed by hunger and ignorance. To regain stability if, sometimes one may think to change direction and join the “freedom fighters” e.g. Al shabbab, and should be given a chance to speak and perhaps shall be able to reconcile with the TFG, rather than alienation. 

• To illustrate that clanism was a legacy product of nomads, it has been quoted a Somali proverb to show: “if my camel is raided -my clan have to come raid other clans camel”.  Further, the lack of vision of Somali leaders; clanism and tribalism had to lead Somalia into protracted conflict with no end. As a way forward for reconciliation, intellectuals must play a role, since they have been passive all along. They can influence the agendas as there is still room for reconciliation and stabilization through peace. 

• Historically, it has been categorized that there were three emerging issues in three stages: the past, present and future. The issues are interventions, clanism and illiteracy. The past peace conferences, agreements haven’t created stability in the country but anarchy has increased with a lot of displacement of people. A mechanism to cope with current issues/challenges is needed just like in the 60s. 

• Using a proverb “clan hands can wash well” it was explained that for reconciliation process to work well and be acceptable people leading the process must themselves not have conflict of interest. Sometimes, an example of intellectuals who aren’t free from clanism and feint ignorance thus engaged in reconciliations. But, what is missing and people wanted and should have embraced is the virtue of trust, honest and confidence. 

• Although it would need and take time to reduce tribalism myths, but a mechanism has to be found to assist Somalia move forward.  Tribalism is rife within Somali people and perhaps they can learn lesson from Kenya. Notably, although there has been lots of research, dissemination has been a problem especially on lessons learnt especially for future leaders. Sensitization at grass root level on these lessons would also be vital. The NCF forums should be extended further and further and raise such issues among intellects to talk about the Somalis effecting prospects. 

• Noting that tribalism isn’t going away easily. It was suggested that to  overcome such issues like 4.5 formula which  is to go inside of the country, involve the different sectors of the community, political arenas as we are now and then  embrace change from grass root level rather top-bottom approach that will bear fruits and bring much  needed change. 

• Agreeably, but the problem on the political participation platform, noting that such system is existing. Though Puntland and Somaliland there is such semblance of platform. Despite the availability of some resources, Somalia has been remaining poor because of poor leadership. Such resources as sea, livestock etc exists and needs to be exploited, but due to ignorance and poor leadership these resources shall remain to be exploited by others. 

• By posed the question: “if we were to consider a leader and elect what characteristic would we have checked and gear to nominated or elect as leader of our nation?  The responses varied and here are some of them:

a)       Competence, educated- not just degree and also being versed with the traditional of the people he/she want to lead

b)       Trustful- leadership qualities.

c)       In born responsible person- leadership qualities. 

d)       Gifted, creditable and sounding man/woman

 

• The challenges in leadership in Somalia were discussed. The main challenge that emerged was: the leadership vacuum. Due to poor leadership style with poor strategy of focusing into the future, Somali leaders have never put systems to lead the country forward. Exit strategy for people holding offices has been lacking thus creating discontinuity. What was suggested as necessary include:

1.       Educations for all.

2.       Experiences, lessons learned and most things are to be written so that to know tomorrow where follow and where to diverse to reach excellence, rather to confuse and stray.

3.       Appreciations and memories to those successful individuals among the Somalia society – this will promote relationship. 

4.       To get real institutions and constitution that can replace the current ones which are on the bases of tribal/traditional norms.

5.       To develop functional Legal institutions e.g. constitutions and judiciary to arbitrate on issues. 

 

4.0          Identified Challenges of Leadership in Somalia 

After the discussion the participants have agreed to highlight the key challenges of the leadership of the country as follows:

1. Ignorance
2. Poverty
3. Poor of truck record
4. Poor involvement of the Somali intellectuals
5. Tribalism/Clanship/favoritism  
6. Interventions
7. Poor utilization of resources
8. No visionary and future strategy plan for the leaders
9. Interest and selfishness,
10. No commitment and sincerity within
11. Luck of trust between the Somali community in general and political parties in particular. 

5.0          Recommendations & Way Forward 

a.       To talk with all concerned Somalia stakeholders including Al-shaab-Islamic insurgents or others to find a homegrown solution.

b.       Improve the economical status of the country and educational to reduce illiteracy.

c.        The Civil society, traditional leaders and Somali intellectuals  should play a  leadership role in the healing and reconciliation process that would lead stabilization of the country

d.       Federalism seems to divide the country rather than unite instead the country should focus on rebuilding, reconciling and unification.

e.        Involve all stakeholders in key decision making. 

f.        Learn lesson from others like Kenya to treat the sickness of tribalism choose wise regulating and ruling systems.

g.        Increase such discussion forums have to reach a level of movement and massive actions.

h.       Circulate the discussions outcomes of these forums.

i.         Appreciation of the good done individuals – this will promote relationship. 

j.         Institution build on tribal/traditional base must be replaced with better mechanism to benefit all and assure Somalis of equal justice.

k.       Work towards having a functional constitution which can be referred to for judicial processes.

  

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