Challenges Facing Somalia’s Young Government
On Tuesday, Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake announced his new Cabinet, two weeks after dismissing his initial nominations. The new group of ministers consists almost entirely of ministers with little political experience, but Sharmake has stated that he expects the move to strengthen the credibility of the Cabinet. This latest shake-up of Somalia’s government comes on the heels of the resignation of Sharmake’s predecessor, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, after Parliament voted him out due to friction between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and himself. Ongoing political infighting threatens the progress already made by Somalia’s new government, as it continues to face considerable challenges rebuilding the war-torn country and fighting the radical al-Shabab militant group.Yet, the creation of a new Cabinet does offer hope that that the fragile political environment will stabilize.
The tensions in Somalia’s government began in November 2014, when PM Ahmed reshuffled the Cabinet, much to President Mohamud’s displeasure. Mohamud claimed that he was never consulted on this decision, and a political feud ensued as a result. A subsequent no confidence vote by Parliament in December led to Ahmed’s ousting, marking the fourth time Parliament attempted to vote Ahmed out in 2014 alone, although the previous sessions were cancelled due to "unruly lawmaker behavior.” Moreover, Ahmed is not the first PM to be kicked out of office: his predecessor, Abdi Farah Shirdon, was forced to step down in 2013 following a similar disagreement over Cabinet appointees.
Ahmed’s resignation set the stage for Sharmake’s ascent to the PM position when he was appointed by President Mohamud. Sharmarke, a dual Canadian and Somali national who served as PM of the transitional government in 2009, then faced the task of picking the new Cabinet.
Sharmarke’s initial announcement of his nominations on January 12th drew mixed reactions. Some praised the diverse composition that included many key allies of President Mohamud, which could serve as a unifying force within the new administration. On the other hand, Sharmarke was criticized for including several members from the previous Cabinet, such as Farah Shiekh Abdulkadir, who was blamed for the fallout between PM Ahmed and President Mohamud. Two other appointees, Abdilkarin Hussein Guled and Hussein Abdi Halane, nominated for Ministers of the Interior and Finance respectively, also drew criticism.
In response, widespread protests erupted across several major Somali cities, including the capital, Mogadishu. Following the urges of the Speaker of Parliament, Sharmarke was forced to dismiss his nominations just before Parliament was meant to hold a vote of confidence on them.
In a surprisingly short turnaround, Sharmarke submitted his new Cabinet appointments just ten days later on January 27. While the new nominees lack political experience, this could in fact be an asset: compared to the previous ones, they have little connection to last year’s political unrest. Parliament is expected to give the new Cabinet a confidence vote this week.
What can explain the political deadlock that threatened to destabilize the Somali government these past 12 months? One particular factor is Somalia’s highly tribalized society. Although Somalis share a common language, clan affiliation tends to be a major marker of identity. As a result, it has often been difficult to integrate this ancient societal structure into the federal organization of Somalia’s government.
Another key aspect is Somalia’s governmental structure. Based on the current constitution, the President and PM share power in an ambiguous way. The President appoints the PM, who in turn nominates officials for the Cabinet. However, behind the scenes, the President plays a major role in ensuring that factional interests are represented in the selection of the Cabinet. Furthermore, the threat of dismissal via a non-confidence vote puts the PM in a precarious position. Nevertheless, the PM has the power to dismiss the Cabinet at any time, enabling him to challenge the authority of the President. This arrangement, paired with tribal rivalries, has resulted in the fragile political environment that we see today.
But with the expected approval of Sharmarke’s nominations, it may be possible for the Somali government to put aside its internal issues and focus on building a more stable state. The government’s “Vision 2016” plan to have democratic elections by next year will not be possible with crippling corruption and the presence of the terrorist group al-Shabab in country. Political stability under the new Cabinet is a small step forward.