Uganda’s Museveni Promises to Finish Somalia’s al-Shabab

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, came to the throne of Uganda’s highest office in January of 1986. Ever since, besides skirmishes with the Lord’s Resistance Army of Joseph Kony, Uganda has remained at peace not until last week when two well-coordinated simultaneous suicide bombs thought to have been planted by Somalia’s militant group al-Shabab shuttered the tiny nation’s capital Kampala at a time when Ugandans were glued to their televisions in anticipation of the final world cup soccer match between Spain and the Netherlands in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Saddened by the heinous crime that crippled his nation on that fateful Sunday, Yoweri Museveni has promised to send extra troops for the AMISOM mission in Somalia. In an African Union meeting convened in Kampala this week, Museveni asked union members to allow AMISOM troops to pursue al-Shabab militants anywhere and anytime inside of Somalia.

For sure, Museveni does not understand the enormity of Somalia’s instability and the strength of al-Shabab as a force. What Museveni fails to understand is that al-Shabab is a splinter group from the former Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) that routed Ethiopia’s occupation forces a few years ago in the streets of Mogadishu. For sure, Museveni’s wild imaginations are easier said than done. The man must be daydreaming.

Joseph Kony, the atrocious warlord who wrecked havoc in Uganda for many decades and aided by an army of Ugandan child-soldiers and sex slaves, remains on the run in the jungles of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Leg-and-hand-slashing Joseph Kony has evaded all kinds of international dragnets. In order to turn a blind eye on the plunders of the LRA's ragtag militia, Yoweri Museveni feels its time to open a new warfront.

Alice Lakwena, the prophetess who shared the same views as Joseph Kony and who aided him in his war operations, miraculously died in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. Let it be known to many that the plunders of the natural resources of the Democratic People's Republic of Congo by the Uganda army has not been forgotten.

Despite the west seeing Museveni as a ‘promising African leader’, for many in Uganda he is nothing but a criminal whose days are numbered. Under Museveni, Uganda enjoys little political freedom. Many in the opposition feel suppressed by the biased state security apparatus.

Twin Blasts Rock Uganda

The Ugandan capital has been rocked by twin blasts that left 64 people and many others injured. According to BBC reports, one of the blasts happened at a rugby field while the other occured at an Ethiopian restaurant. While it is premature to speculate at this time those behind the carnage, fingers are being pointed at Somalia's al-Shabab who have in the past threatened Uganda. Uganda has peacekeeping troops representing the African Union in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. In the past, al-Shabab has been battling AMISOM troops from Uganda and Burundi and those of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

Immediately after the blasts in Kampala, a representative of al-Shabab heaped praise on those who engineered the plot. The chief of police in Kampala thinks it is al-Shabab that carried out the bombings. It is being reported that an American from Pennsylvania was among the injured. The President of the United States, Barack Obama and his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton deplored those who carried out the despicable acts in Kampala saying that help is on the way to apprehend those suspected of being behind the heinous acts.

Despite al-Shabab calling for vengeance against AMISOM troops in the past, it has never explored extremist avenues outside of Somalia. If proven beyond reasonable doubt that al-Shabab had a hand in the Kampala bombings, then it will have demonstrated its capability of inflicting harm in places previously thought of as beyond its reach. Al-shabab and its sister faction Hizb al-Islam believe in the creation of a greater emirate for Somalia. Leaders of Islamist groups fighting in Somalia are known by their nom de guerres which often have Arabic rhymings.

In southern and central Somalia where the two factions control large swathes of land, the institution of Islamic sharia seem to hold for now. Many towns have been given Arabic names; residents have been instructed to observe Islamic etiquettes and shun colonial or European-imposed ways of life. Women are required to wear full hijab and separate quotas have been assigned for their use in public transportation; men are required to keep beards and shorten moustache; the carrying of the rosary is forbidden; ringing of school bells are unacceptable; watching of the world cup soccer games is forbidden; women may not wear bras nor wear make-up; and it is compulsory for all able-bodied men and women to partake in jihad agaisnt the enemies of Islam.

Uganda is a small country in East Africa and is a member of the Intergovenmental Authority on Development (IGAD)that comprise founding member-states Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Many innocent civilians have perished in the frequent skrmishes between the Islamists and AMISOM forces prompting leaders of the Islamists to issue fatwas or religious edicts calling for revenge against the nations of Uganda and Burundi. In a meeting recently held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, member-states agreed to send extra 2,000 troops to Somalia to boost the 6,100 force already in Mogadishu. The agreement signed in Addis Ababa triggered widespread demonstrations in areas under the control of al-Shabab and Hizb al-Islam-the two formidable factions fighting for control of Mogadishu.

Increased IGAD Troops will not Stabilize Somalia

In a hastily convened meeting in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa last week, Somalia’s president called for the immediate deployment of extra troops from IGAD member states to confront the threat of al-Shabab that has been battling Somalia’s fragile government. Attending the meeting were leaders from IGAD member-states. They included Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of Somalia, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki. After lengthy hours of deliberation, IGAD member-states agreed to the deployment of 2,000 extra troops to be drawn from states neighboring Somalia so as to boost the 4,500 overstretched and exhausted AMISOM troops from Uganda and Burundi who remain besieged on all sides by opposition armed groups who are battling Sheikh Sharif’s otiose government in Mogadishu.

Formerly the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), IGAD, which stands for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development was founded in 1984 and incoprporates the Horn of Africa nations of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. IGAD works in concert with international organizations, has a secretariat headquartered in Addis Ababa, and routinely convenes consultative meetings to discuss issues affecting member-states. Almost every IGAD member-state is confounded by insecurity. Ethiopia, a country synonymous with starvation also remains unstable because of the several armed liberation movements that are fighting for separation. Ethiopia's hotly contested 2005 presidential and parliamentary election became a subject of international condemnation after the ruling party indiscriminately jailed or killed many members of the opposition. Ethiopia has gone to war with neighboring Eritrea twice over a stretch of dusty land where an estimated one million people perished. Djibouti, a tiny former French colony bordering Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia has been emroiled in a bitter war with FURD-a rebel faction dominated by the Afar tribe who feel marginalized by the ruling Issa clan of president Ismail Gelle.

Somalia has been described as a "failed-state" for it has been without a central government since 1991 when the last military government fell to a ragtag milia commanded by the notorious General Mohamed Farah Aidid. Uganda has been in the midst of armed struggle with Joseph Kony-a rebel commander who is thought to be hiding in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republuc of Congo (DRC). On the other hand, Uganda has its own restive Karamoja region populated by the wretched Karamojong tribe. Sudan has been a victim of military coups for decades; the north of the country is occupied by Arabs and the south by black Africans. The SPLA, a rebel movement that operated in the south of the country has now laid down arms after the guarantee of some form of autonomy. Currently, it enjoys relative peace Salva Kiir as Vice President of Sudan as well as president of autonomous southern Sudan. A referendum is expected to be held soon to determine the fate of the southerners. On the western corner of Sudan is the restive Darfur region whose inhabitants have been subjected to years of torture by the dreaded Arab Janjaweed militia. Kenya can explode anytime because of the hatred that exist between the president's Kikuyu clan and the Prime Minister's Luo. A disputed presidential election in 2008 left over a thousand dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Upon IGAD releasing a hastily-crafted communiqué about its decision to send more troops to Somalia, demonstrators in several towns inside Somalia took to the streets to protest at what they termed as “IGAD’s bad intentions”. In separate strongly-worded messages aimed at dissuading IGAD member states from interfering in Somali internal affairs, the spiritual leaders of Al-Shabab and Hizb-al-Islam-the two major factions leading the onslaught against the fragile Somali government-decried IGAD’s ill-intentions toward Somalia. A former interim president of Somalia, Abdiqasin Salad Hassan, speaking to a local radio station in Mogadishu, voiced his objection at IGAD’s troop increase. Likewise, some members of Somalia’s parliament voiced similar sentiments.

Meanwhile, the Somali general leading the fight against the Islamists has come-up with a fighting strategy that will limit the degree of harm inflicted on innocent civilians. He was quoted saying that in the future forces under his command will be required to confront the opposition in their hideouts and away from civilian populations. For many war strategists, how to implement the general’s new approach to war may seem impervious to reasoning. What the Somali general fails to grasp is that even distinctive surveillance and special reconnaissance applied by advanced armies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo have failed to preserve civilian lives.

As a regional bloc IGAD has preposterously failed in its Somalia operations. For the moment, the best it can do is to open direct negotiations with the opposition-a proposition that will obviously end in disarray-because the ultimate goal of the Islamists is to impose Islamic sharia in Somalia. For Sheikh Sharif, because all your good intentions of establishing an all-inclusive government have been out-rightly rejected by the opposition, the best option you can do is relinquish power so as to allow fresh blood take over the helm.

Fireworks, Noise, and Extravagance: American way of Merrymaking

The way Americans commemorate yearly special occasions is cause for alarm. With the most memorable days in the U.S. being Christmas Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day, what troubles many who choose to remain on the sidelines is how celebrations are conducted on these special days. Statistically, Americans spend millions of dollars on booze, barbeque, and fireworks in a matter of hours; Americans consume three times more beef than the rest of the nations of the world combined; and it has been proven that Americans consume more alcohol than any other nation during special occasions like Independence Day and Labor Day. On the other hand, the number of revelers involved in road fatalities exceeds those of many countries. Usually, all hell breaks loose after midnight when the sky is lit with displays of fireworks that continue late into the night if not the wee hours of the morning. Then it is booze as usual. Despite increased police surveillance, criminal activities such as burglaries, robberies, vehicular theft, purse snatching, arson, rape and murder become an observable factor. Neighborhoods most affected by acts of criminality are poor neighborhoods populated by blacks and Hispanics. For the media fraternity, after the dust settles, key discussions that attract attention include the terrible nature of startling incidents recorded nationwide. Thereafter, as usual, breaking news broadcasts, commentaries, analyses, and endless ballyhoo about crime statistics in the nation receive weighty reflection.

For many with heart ailments, the sounds of fireworks make their nights and days unbearable if not deadly. Most affected by the tremendous echoic vibrations and reverberating decibels are the elderly, young children, women in labor, and the sick whose body metabolism may not bear the deafening impacts. Businesspeople engaged in the fireworks trade pitch tents days before the projected celebrations. Advertisements on television and radio proliferate and billboards are erected to lure the unsuspecting extravagant consumer. Since Americans are known to be way ahead of the times, individual families may purchase stocks of firecrackers to the tune of hundreds of dollars as early as several months before in anticipation for the ceremonial occasion. And when the day comes, regardless of rain or shine, the blast of epic firework displays radiating from every direction of every city and dwelling would obviously put a newcomer into hasty retreat. Upon wrapping the ceremonial occasion, used crackers of every shape, size, and color strewn everywhere become challenging and eyesore for pedestrians of all walks of life. No wonder when the occasion comes to an end, with the exception of business operators, millions of consumers may remain penniless until the next paycheck. Some businesses may slowdown or come to a standstill for a while until the economy resuscitates again for the better.

U.S. Foreign Policy toward Africa

With 17 African countries celebrating 50 years since the first proclamation of independence from colonial European powers in the 60s, the administration in Washington, DC feels its time to celebrate with African youth leaders to commemorate the significant gains made by Africans and Africa’s increasingly important voice on the world stage. With the opening of the annual U.S.-Africa Economic Forum expected to kick-off August 2, cabinet members from 38 African countries and high-level American officials will convene to deliberate on themes based on youth, governance, and opportunity.

According to Benjamin Chang, spokesman for the National Security Council (NSC), the venue will bring together young Africans, the Diaspora Community, U.S. Government officials, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The first part of the economic conference will be held in Washington, DC and will be attended by the U.S. secretaries of State, Commerce, Agriculture and the administrator of U.S. Agency for International Development. The theme of the conference will be “AGOA at 10, New Strategies for a Changing World.” The second part of the conference will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 5-6. To be attended by U.S. companies and private sector representatives from a number of 38 AGOA-eligible countries, the main focus will be on agri-business.

To the serious observer of African politics, the mention of the phrase "significant gains" may seem ludicrous and out of the ordinary. Instead, what comes to mind is the horrendous political miscalculations, abject poverty, shameless totalitarianism, endless misrule and communism, protracted developmental retardations, misguided principles, vestiges of colonialism and hosts of endless political plunders wrought on the poor continent for over a half century. Instead of African youths sitting side by side with the same barefaced African leaders who fleeced the African continent, is it not better they hold these bogus leaders accountable for their breach of contracts? In anticipation of aid, for sure these 38 Afican heads of states eligible for AGOA beneficiaries will assemble with 38 empty begging bowls and shoddy projects. Because the United States prefers authoritarianism to totalitarianism for the sake of its foreign ploicy interests, no wonder many totalitarian rulers will arrive in Washington, DC in authoritarian regalia.

A New Era for Somaliland?

In a recently-concluded presidential election in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland, a political party known as Kulmiye (unity in Somali) elected political doyen Ahmed Silanyo as new president after trouncing incumbent Dahir Riyale Kayin by a wide-margin in a free and fair election supervised by international observers. Ahmed Silanyo held several ministerial positions during the reign of the military junta that ruled Somalia with ironfist from 1969 until 1991. A holder of two college degrees obtained from educational institutions in Britain, Mr. Silanyo brings with him a wealth of knowledge and years of experience to Somaliand's stable but economically handicapped peripatetic citizens who have been victims of endemic corruption and gross economic mismanagement since declaring separation from Somalia proper in 1998.

Preceded in office by Dahir Riyale Kahin, a ruthless former colonel in the now-defunct Somali army, Mr. Silanyo inherits an enclave beset by many conflicting factors. A founding member of the Somali National Movement (SNM), Silanyo, in his heydays as a guerilla fighter, brushed shoulders with the likes of the despised warlord General Mohamed Farah Aideed-the man responsible for much of Somalia's unending political entanglement. The acclaimed Hollywood movie Black Hawk Down features the disastrous American intervention in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope in 1993 and the hunt for General Aideed.

Somaliland's quest for separation from Somalia remains an issue of profound importance among Somalilanders who predominantly make the greater population of the former northwest and togdheer regions of Somalia. Despite the election that brought Silanyo to power remaining free and fair, absolutely no voting took place in the expansive Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn regions populated by the Dhulbahante and Warsengeli tribes who belong to the majority Darod clan. In fact, there have been reports of ballot confiscations, armed skirmishes between forces from Hargeisa and those of the Dhulbahante, and cases of defections from Somaliland armed forces.

In broader political science and macro-economics, the notion that the bigger the land mass of a state the better the prospects for economic prosperity seem to evade the thoughts of the feverish and shallow-minded usurper driven by opportunism, greed, and petty politics. Nations like the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Brazil, and India remain a force to reckon with in economics, education, and global politics. China, Russia, and the U.S. enjoy significant veto powers and have to their credit advanced technology, military muscle, and scientific explorations while tiny nations like Djibouti and Eritrea lag behind in all aspects of life. Some economists even call for the removal of Africa's imaginary barriers imposed by colonial powers.

The dismemberment of Somalia into cantons will only benefit those few wielding considerable powers; the rest of the citizenry will undoubtedly live in abject poverty. A case in point is a coverage posted on http://www.wardheernews.com and referenced from IRIN news in which the pathetic living conditions of Hargeisa's marginalized minority Gabooye people are highlighted. Somalilanders consider the Gabooye as inferior, filthy, and outcasts who may not intermingle with nor intermarry other major clans. Despite being Somalis and Muslims, these people are to remain poor, helpless, and ostracized forever.

IRIN, the refugee online news source put the number of Gabooye living in Hargeisa at 8,000 families (48,000 people) mostly living on the fringes of poverty. Since the propspects of the Gabooye securing white-collar or blue-collar jobs have been restricted by ceturies-old Somali social classifications in place, their survival depends on the preservation of skills inherited from their ancestors. What remains left for them include routine house-to-house begging, work as blacksmiths, shoemaking, work in slaughterhouses, work in pathologically and epidemiologically disastrous environments, and anything else deemed unacceptable to the upperclass Somalis.

While we welcome Silanyo's election as president of Somaliland, what is worth comprehending is the importance of the wise saying, "unity is strength." About Silanyo's election, for sure we know one thing about African politics: not one single African leader has been credited with delivering his/her people from the bondage of corruption, mismanagement, embezzlement, clanism, and general decay. It would be an illusion to expect Silanyo to deliver fresh Manna and quail to the poor unrecognized state of Somaliland for now and for the foreseable future.