Introduction:
This post is the continuation of the earlier post called " The presidency of Farmaajo: How things are and major issues". Here I write about the major issue of Tranformational Leadership needed to achieve change and prosperous, secure, democratic future for Somali Republic Nation-state in a Federal system.
Meaning of Trasformational Leadership.
Never a Nation-State or peoples in the history of Mankind has ever changed its predicament, advanced, made progressive social changes, political and technological changes without a Transformational Leaderships at the "helm" of the Nation-State, communities which have a clear "vision" of its "role" in "history" and personal "legacy". Today Somali Republic is at a cross road: after years of clan based civil wars, some camouflaged as religious wars, after so called governments installed by Ethiopia in Somalia with the Salafist Business Cartels as allies and Endemic corruption/ Organized crimes as business as usual; we have came at a time when we need a National Transformational Leadership which Unites, brings change, rallies together all Clan communities, citizens of the Somali Republic and brings social, economic and political development for the Somali Republic Nation-State in a federal system. Before I go into detail on what is needed in Somali Republic-as I see it- let explain in a scholastic way what is Transformational Leadership. On Wikipedia.org its said:
"Transformational leadership is a style of leadership where a leader works with subordinates to identify needed change, creating a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executing the change in tandem with committed members of a group.[1] Transformational leadership serves to enhance the motivation, morale, and job performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms; these include connecting the follower's sense of identity and self to a project and to the collective identity of the organization; being a role model for followers in order to inspire them and to raise their interest in the project; challenging followers to take greater ownership for their work, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of followers, allowing the leader to align followers with tasks that enhance their performance." Still from Wikipedia.org: "Transformational leaders look towards changing the future to inspire followers and accomplish goals, whereas transactional leaders seek to maintain the status quo, not aiming for progress."
The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by James V. Downton, the first to coin the term "Transformational leadership", a concept further developed by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other advance to a higher level of morality and motivation."[3
Still from Wikipedia.org
"Transformational leaders are described to hold positive expectations for followers, believing that they can do their best. As a result, they inspire, empower, and stimulate followers to exceed normal levels of performance. Transformational leaders also focus on and care about followers and their personal needs and development.[7] Transformational leaders fit well in leading and working with complex work groups and organizations, where beyond seeking an inspirational leader to help guide them through an uncertain environment, followers are also challenged and feel empowered; this nurtures them into becoming loyal, high performers." Period.
I relied the professional, scholastic and knowledge based of what we call Transformational Leadership. How we can apply this principles and political theory to our society and dysfunctional Somali political system? Did President #Farmaajo fits in this kind of Leadership style? Did the present Leadership part of the team of President Farmaajo can be Transformational Leaders?
The answers to this question are Yes if they promote National Agenda, Unity, change Clan-Enclaves cantonal subdivision of the Republic and make a real federal system, promote social justice, have government role in the economy on national resources exploitation, and promote government based on Rule of law. No if they cannot stop endemic corruption and cannot change Clan Enclaves subdivision, total control of the economy and education by Salafist Business Cartels. Yes president #Farmaajo has had a message and style based on the Unity of the Somali citizens and a project to bring change and better future to Somali Republic citizens from when he was PM. But the week point is there is not a planned " comprehensive vision/project" and the capacity of the Elites governing is mostly uneducated on governance issues, without any idealistic-Nationalistic thinking or are elites put there through so called election( in parliament) supported by foreign powers and not representing the interests of the people citizens. Those who have the capacity and honesty to work for their Nation-State are in the minority in government, civil servants and security services. But in the last election the two chambers has been infused with elites who have National outlook and values and stand for the rights of Somali citizens from whatever Clan or sub clan.
Historical Background
In the Somali history the pre-independence Political parties in the north and south and the National State as institutions were agents of Change or what we can call today Transformation Leadership institutions. After independence they established our modern legal system, the modern education system, the civil servants system and a private sectors including banks. The leaders of those independent parties were Transformational Leaders for a short time and lost their visions due to the ideological weakness of the political elites and reverted to Clan sectarianism for power grabbing/corruption. But mostly the neo-colonial state itself had a goal to preserve the interests of the former Colonial powers and not nurture democracy and Rule of Law.
The Siad barre military regime used a so called populist socialist agenda and a -so-called scientific socialism which cannot be implemented in practice in a pastoral/nomadic society- but brought social change in education,health, promotion of National culture- writing of Somali language and using it for education- and used the state machine forcefully to implement its policies abolishing independent civil society groups and political parties except his own Socialist party and state controlled civil society organizations. But after the 77" war and from 80" reverted to Clan sectarianism and become just a ruling elites who lost direction and had not any vision anymore. The regime left the Warsaw pact group alliance of the Soviet Union and never fully joined the Western alliance led by US.(today our ally are those who assist us to fight against the Jihadist and assist us with Nation building for a government based on the Rule of the Law, just society in a federal system). This is one of the reasons the West and East bloc’s stood aside or participated in the collapse economically and politically, security wise of the Siad barre regime and assisted the emergence of Ethiopia as regional sub colonizing power. But unfortunately also become a power to be reckoned the Somali Salafist Movement which flexed its muscles from the 90" in the Somali Republic (they had a secret alliance with Ethiopian regimes from 80") while the ETHIOPIA-IGAD group supported warlords first and later Puppet leaders for regional Clan Enclaves political systems.
Clan Enclaves Sectarianism/ Salafist Jihadist Models.
The Clan sectarianism of the last 30 years has made great inroads in our social, political and cultural thinking that we totally lost what we acquired in the 40 years before it. We lost the concept of civil society in Trade Unions, Farmers associations, Business associations, lawyers association( some revived from 90" by foreign NGOs but still localized as Clan Enclaves groups), political parties based on ideological National values, the Nation-state( as a model for the country) as neutral institution between Clans and political competing ideas; the role of state security services as enforcer of Law and defender of National Borders, paying of taxes to service public service, all that has been lost. Having one Nation state to whom we are all citizens have been lost, we advocate a secession like Somaliland and a quasi-like confederate system by leaders of Puntland, Jubbaland and South West etc. Now days every aspect has to be based on Clan affiliation and clan loyalty and Somalis are sub divided in Clan Enclaves regional states as for jurisdiction. The mind set of Somalis has been changed all this years by following the role model of Clan Enclaves Leaders, Salafist Business Cartels to be greedy, corrupt and divisive. Only personal gain and Clan culture, Salafist model are emulated and seen to be best. Our beloved religion Islam has been wrongly interpreted by Salafist Jihadist and made a so- called ideological tool to kill, oppress Somalis of the Republic and make Fatwa against anybody who oppose Salafist Jihadist Agenda and stands for a National state. The concept of Nation hood has been changed to make Somali citizens without any Nation state except so called Clan Enclave regions and our young men fighting for Jihadist in foreign Lands for so called "Caliphate"; while homeland is safe haven and controlled by Jihadist, Salafist Business Cartels, criminals and puppet Leaders of Clan Enclaves.
National Trasformational Leadership with a "Comprehensive Vision/ Project".
Even Transformational Leadership must a have a vision for the country which tries to solve all its ills like Jihadism, Clan sectarianism and social, political and economic problems. First we a need a Leadership which can restore the trust of people-citizens in their rulers. The people/citizens must be convinced to sacrifice for a project in which they “believe” and which can "change" their livelihoods and the country will be changed for the better future for all. They must be convinced theoretically by explaining to them the “vision/project” that will bring change and see that the Leaders are themselves sacrificing for the good of the Federal Nation state. We need politicians who are Role Models and are not Puppet Leaders to foreign powers, allied with Salafist groups and Leaders who are free from corruption and Clan Sectarianism. Nobody is perfect but at least we don’t need re-cycled so called politicians who are only servants to Salafist Business Cartels some even criminals using politics as cover. We need politicians and bureaucrats who promote government by rule of Law and social justice, meritocracy for all people-citizens. We need a law after the next election-in 4 years’ time- where Somali politicians, bureaucrats, security services, Army officers, must carry Somali passports and be Somali citizenship and therefore accountable to the citizens and Somali law. In the next constitution we must have a vision/project agreed by all Somali communities/citizens as principles in the constitutional norms of the Federal Republic and also agreed by a Constituent assembly made by a National community Elders, civil society groups, parliamentarians of the two chambers before any referendum. The #Farmaajo government must spell to the Somali people-citizens how its sees this vision/project and have a dialogue, discussion about it with all Somali intellectuals and start in the Media a dialogue about how they see the next constitution. This diplomatic style of running the national affairs makes the enemies of Somali republic use always the media to influence negatively the people and divulge misinformation. After the trip to Puntland and Galmudug the Somalis have seen the national Agenda of the government and that its promoting the national interest of the Somali federal Nation-State in an inclusive way.
