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Presidential Election in Puntland Must Pick the Right Person for the Right Job Dec. 30 2004 Mr. Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi, the interim President, and General Cadde Muuse, a retired army General, seem to be the undisputed front- runners for the presidency in the upcoming election slated to take place on January 7 th and 8 th , 2005. Since Abdullahi Yusuf vacated the seat to take up presidency of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), the dice was cast on between Maxammed Cabdi Xaashi and General Cadde Muuse. Somalis, both at the state and national level, must seek the right person for their highest offices. In fact, it is more important to first and foremost democratize the society at the local level for two reasons. First, the federal concept of the new Somalia must be based on the United Nations' “building blocks” endorsed by IGAD and all those interested in the Somalia affairs. According to this approach, governance must be reconstituted block-by-block, region-by-region, and if need be, city-by-city. Second, rebuilding Somalia's tattered institutions shall be one of a bottom-up approach. If successfully implemented, these two interrelated concepts shall empower regions and local authorities and help lay down the governmental framework that could prove to be immune to future tinkering by a federal government in Mogadishu. As such, voters must elect the right candidate for Puntland's presidency based on the candidates' deeds, ability to run a regional government, and their past and present public record. So far, less is known about General Cadde Muse's administrative ability to govern. His image is permanently tainted by the 2001-2002 bloody war in Puntland, in which he defiantly took arms against the former president Cabdullaahi Yuusuf. Most Puntlanders would have preferred if Cadde Muuse sought a parliamentarian resolution to whatever disagreements he had with the sitting government. However, as a general who climbed the ranks during the Barre years and for whom conflict resolution through means of violence is a rewarding method, Cadde Muse instigated the 2001-2002 war in Puntland. This war nearly consumed the regional state on whose behalf many toiled so much. In the course of that conflict, hundreds died on both sides; a hitherto fledgling economy hit the doldrums and inter-clan relationship in the region has suffered an irreparable damage. In Cadde Muuse, we have a candidate that deeply believes that “might is right.” As such, even after he reached a truce with the former President Cabdullaahi Yuusuf, under a peace mission sponsored by Boqor Buur Madow, Cadde Muse retained his own separate army within Puntland. He is reportedly saving this army for a rainy day. This alone makes it clear that Cadde Muuse does not believe in the democratic process, and therefore a dangerously unpredictable quantity.” On the other hand, Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi exhibits a completely different picture. For the entire period he served as the Vice President under Cabdullaahi Yuusuf, he was the voice of reason and participatory governance. He repeatedly challenged Cabdullaahi Yusuf on the floor of the House of Representatives, at budget hearings and at closed executive sessions. He stalwartly maintained his resolve to make sure that Cabdullaahi Yuusuf does not rule the region as a dictator. Some commentators even suggested that without Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi, Puntland would have been a one man's show, Cabdullaahi Yusuf's show. Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi brings into this historic election a rare combination of modern administrative skills and the wisdom of a Somali sage. For many years, he worked as a senior administrator in the previous government of Somalia and had applied a plethora of experience during the trying times when he worked as a vice President under Cabdullaahi Yuusuf. He has invoked the constitutional checks and balances against the former presidents more than any one in today's political landscape of Somalia. Moreover, he has effectively and without any partiality mediated several inter-sub-clan conflicts in the Sool regions and succeeded to arrest in what could have been a bloody conflict. He always extended peaceful hand to neighboring Somaliland and pressed for a continued and unconditional dialogue between the “brothers and sisters in both regions.” A not-so-small issue is that with the successful election of Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi, a smooth and orderly transition is granted for Puntland lest Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi has already been running the region effectively for the last two years during which time Cabdullaahi Yusuf has been in Kenya seeking Somalia 's presidency. And, Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi has already established good and working relationship with neighbouring IGAD states. He has also dealt with foreign dignitaries and officers of international aid at all levels. Residents in Puntland would be one of the first regions to lay down the foundation for the new Somalia by where accountability in governance goes side by side with an efficiently managed government. Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi is by far the best chose in this election and we at Wardheernews endorse his candidacy. Send comments: editorial@wardheernews.com
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