What Business Politics is suitable for Somaliland’s Growing Economy and Development?

Abdirahman Osman

The business sector has dramatically changed its rate of growth. Each year it doubles its capital and increase the graph by square digits. In the early growing days, we the people of Somaliland met many problems that shape our characters and behaviour of life. We have lost everything including life, wealth and also our culture values. The regime of Siad Barre and his mercenaries army was brutally destroy all infrastructures of this nation. Beyond that, institutional collapse is the product of all. There was a quick emerging business politics that reaches its peak ever the records of business history. They use the latest approach of marketing and technology. They poured advertisement ads in local mass media and then put-on work by talented and potential workforce those are mainly youth citizens.

With the absent of governmental rules and regulations it is inevitable to face business conflicts, resulting by the weak governmental agencies and bad politicians who administers those issues. The business sector dominates every aspect of life including political decision-making arenas. Thus, unlimited powers are double-edged sword which leads us either social loss or gain. Finally, there is unseen growing politics between businesses and with the lack of strong business laws we are beyond risk.

Business politics is the detrimental factor of business success. The more the company shows a business environment that allows surviving the overwhelming waves that like in sequential bounces hit the sea shores (new market entrants). There are a number of business political factors, if we are classified by their importance:

  1. Exploiting huge capital
  2. Expansion growth
  3. And monopolizing certain market niche.

That is not the above case; but what the economist call ‘’invisible hand’’ to ‘’creative destruction’’. Supported by the last two respectively narrations, we encounter the truth today, let us go back what history teaches us as the early

days of the restoration of Somaliland independence. Since, 1991 until 1997 there was conflict and civil wars; which broke-out some form of securing an economic source, like, Berbera war which erupts by issue of personalized the main port by specific group, Hargeisa Airport which they refuse to nationalize the Airport. All of these variables becomes under one factor; monopolizing wealth source.  I think that is enough support statement, it is free for me if I say there are ‘’invisible hands’’ that organizes irresponsible persons. And its destruction of wealth according to the manners they managed their arguments.

Its early stages it begins by slowly moving influence inside the society. It is impossible to see by the naked eye unless by using a microscopic tool so as to seen the growing virus around the business environment. There is a Korean saying ‘’it is not necessary to drain the sea to find out if its water is salty’’ if the competitions  between companies are kept in a positive way it reach us prosperity and development of national economy, otherwise, it cause a huge loss of property, moral and manpower.

I hardly criticize the process that going on and some irresponsible entrepreneurs want to alter the nature of the business. They exercise bad actions and reactions between them. They enter the competition game in a locked fence, where they empowered tribes and clans so as to attain their hidden objectives. Our argument, it supports the brotherhood competition which doesn’t leave irritating effect. It is crucial to have a big solution. Why? An alternative perspective on the changing Somaliland businesses can be seen by looking at the hardest to measure where business firms inter-crosses (interchange) by the tribal system.

They develop two sensitive tactics that enumerate sudden conflict:

        I.            They cross the threshold of political decision-making areas and without doubt they have the power to nominate public office leaders and simply they fired at any time they need (if he doesn’t follow their orders or become barrier by their interests). For example, the ministry of
posts and telecommunication; every
minister who propose to make a system of communication what they called Switch Gate. He straight forwardly met to lose his political post by the first reshuflement of the cabinet and the decision of presidents’ official decrees.
Its shame to say business owners are above the law. They penetrate every organ of the government, like, Judiciary, Legislatives and the Executive branch.

     II.            They exploit mainly the society through the gate of tribalism. This abrasion cell is the end of normal thinking of the Somalis. They account their voice without cost burden, and this is the home of transferring labelling and business propagandas. This is the start point of tribal diversification and clashes of the society.

The hottest issue of business politics that on top of the news are the Quarantine livestock, Cement factory at Berbera, Mobile banking (Zaad, Somtel and eMaal), Fibre optic Cable and Commercial banks. These are big investment opportunities issues financing a large sum of capital estimated in millions of dollars. Unfortunately, there is no investment acts as well as commercial banking acts. There are no MPs that ready to initiate such acts. With the absent of these Institutions, individuals often face negative incentives making it difficult to:

–  Invest in economic activities

–  Provide public goods

–  Improve communally held resources.

If there is no legal Jurisprudence that ensures the huge investment capital of the businesses, it is very likely to search another protected property forces. The tribal system is the only persistent force that substitutes the government roles. The perspectives of local influential bodies are partial by their interests only, and they have not the ability to measure and see what behind the scope.

Benefiting the past history, it is impossible to accept re-occurring by our previous mistakes. The growing business capital having the entrepreneurs is a tremendous power of influence, which is risk if the power enters with the wrong hand people. It is an increased threat of social clashes by the greedy businessmen that exercise tribal lobbying system.

The growing business politics in the straightway leads us prosperity and social welfare, but misleading causes backwardness and social loss. We address in a load voice to give a close attention for the behaviour of the negative impact on competition that is risk with our fragile statehood.

The young generation was crying by the cause of this unreasonable crisis. They are expecting to invest such big projects so as to create more jobs and better future. Let’s look forward by developing a sound leadership styles and a man of honour living with a secure and promising environment such as our age around the world. The tribal system which slabs to build our national values makes us to stay long period of time in a poor condition as well weak personal integrity. In my last word towards the powerful energy within the Somali youth, “awake and aware what causes these stagnant and sluggish life. so as to learn the past and change the present condition. If we Love the true Live; Let’s Leave what I call Dark Leaf (clan thinking) inside our Heart. Break the hard stones in your way or hold it as bridge of time.  Be brave and shed the deep light in your head and burn the fire with bold hand by making bright future’’.

 

AbduRahman Osman Jama

abdiosman9@yahoo.com