Opinion: Why Abdi Farah Shirdoon “Saacid” is Right Man for the PM Job

Why Abdi Farah Shirdoon “Saacid” is Right Man for the PM Job

After reading the article, “Did our President select the most qualified candidate?” written by Mohamed Keynan, I felt compelled to write a brief commentary on the Prime Minister elect, Mr. Abdi Farah Shirdoon “Saacid”, a man whom I have known for many years. Mr. Shirdoon has personal attributes that make him an ideal choice for Prime Minister.

I have known Mr. Shirdoon for over 20 years. I know the man:  the father, the businessman, and the community activist. It may be surprising that a lot is not known about Saciid from reading media reports because Saacid is a very private man who prefers to quietly advocate for causes he believes in. Saacid is a family man who with his wife Asha Haji Elmi, have raised four lovely children. Saacid always took a keen interest in the wellbeing of his children and was supportive of his wife's educational and career pursuits. As a businessman, he ran successful enterprises both in Somalia and Kenya. He has partnered with Somalis from different regions and always operated his businesses in an ethical and responsible manner. Saacid also felt that he had an obligation beyond the commercial to give back to his people and his country. This was due to feeling that Somalia had given him so much like public education from elementary school to Gaheyr University. He is a strong advocate that these kinds of life transforming opportunities be available for the future and present generations of Somalis.

Saacid supported numerous individuals and causes ranging from education to women’s rights. These causes helped address some of the most monumental issues facing our communities such as helplessness and lack of empowerment He invested some of his own personal funds into providing start-up capital to young brilliant Somali entrepreneurs who had great ideas but lacked the seed capital to bring their dreams to fruition. He also helped pay the school fees of some very deserving Somali students irrespective of their origin. Saacid also believed that as long as the underlying root causes of instability: poverty, lack of education, poor healthcare remained unaddressed; the prospects for stability in Somalia would be unachievable. Saacid created NGOs and other self-help groups in Somalia to help address these challenges with the overarching goal of promoting peaceful coexistence as well as rebuilding trust between communities. Communities that have shared stakes in the future are less likely to resort to violence but instead choose non-violent dispute resolution strategies.

During the height of the civil war in the late 1980s and 1990s, Saacid was an advocate for peaceful resolution of the Somali conflict. He refused to be drawn into the clan politics as he saw that it would only lead to further disaster and marginalization of the populace. Saacid was one of the few who maintained good personal relationships with people from all clans at a time when emotions were running high. Saciid would spend time and his own money to help promote dialogue between various groups. It was a Herculean task especially at a time when all parties believed that they were in the right.  Saacid continued in his efforts because of his deep commitment to the solidarity of the Somali nation.

Now that I have given you some insight into Saacid, I would like address Mr. Keynan's points:

• Experience – After the total collapse of the central government over 20 years ago, there were no viable institutions to produce, groom, and promote cadres of civil servants.  With no effective central government in place, it was left to members of civil society like Saacid to pick up the slack and provide the social services in a stateless vacuum.

• Education – Saacid has a  Bachelor’s degree from the prestigious institution known as Somali National University. Degrees are a mark of learned achievement; however an individual should always strive to continuously learn new things throughout his or her lifetime. Saacid is a deeply intellectually curious person who enjoys learning new things and loves to engage in discussions with Somali scholars. He welcomes differing viewpoints and is apt to change his mind if the idea is good without regard to authorship. This intellectual dexterity bodes well for  someone who will now be in charge of reestablishing state institutions from scratch and yet is humble enough to seek input from experts when needed.

• Business - Being a “titan” or “captain of industry” is not a requirement to being a successful politician. Saacid has shown himself to be a socially conscious businessman because of his commitment to give back to his people. He is not simply satisfied with being wealthy knowing that there are millions of his fellow countrymen living in abject poverty. Saacid was practicing corporate responsibility before it became a touchstone of corporate social responsibility. He understood that community enrichment improved the prospects of business in the long run.

As to deduce why the President chose Mr. Shirdoon, the selection of the PM is a decision that is the sole purview of the President. Judging by the time it took for the President to nominate a candidate, it seems apparent that the President spent a lot of time deliberating his choice. The President sat down and interviewed the potential candidates to get a better understanding of their abilities, personalities and work styles. At the end of the process, President Hassan selected a candidate whom he feels shares his vision of an accountable government that will keep the needs of the people foremost in their thoughts.

In summation, Mr. Abdi Farah Shirdoon has all the attributes needed to become a successful Prime Minister. He is an honest man with strong moral convictions. He has displayed an unshakeable commitment to his people and country, both in his activities in the private sector and now in government. Mr. Shirdoon cannot be typecast into any particular grouping due to his ability to work with diverse groups of Somalis from all regions. He is not an ideologue and will work with anyone who will advance the cause of peace in Somalia. With Mr. Shirdoon as Prime Minister, we truly have an honest broker who will be a fair, impartial Prime Minister for all of the people. Mr. Shirdoon has worked tirelessly for decades to promote the cause of the powerless. Let us now empower Mr. Shirdoon to carry out his wonderful vision of improving the lives of Somalis on a national level.  I understand the skepticism that many may feel, but we are children of mother Somalia and we must support those who know her heart and love her people so.

Let us wish both the President and Prime Minister the best of luck. Both men are taking on two difficult, thankless jobs in which they are expected to address immense challenges to rebuild a country using inadequate resources. The journey to a prosperous, stable Somalia will be long with many challenges along the way.  Let us not lose sight of the promise to Somalis to rebuild the land and restore the hope of its people.

Rukia Ali
rukiaali27@gmail.com        

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