Research is a promise with parameters. It is a revision of adapted principles in the light of new facts. Its decisive starting point begins with a transformative redefinition of social, economical and political order system.
Transformative redefinition is the ability to stretch perception and open mind to new ideas and ideologies that can show people in how they are divided and disorganized. The purpose of research is to reveal new possibilities for actions that individuals
did not see before.
A great thing about research is to discover how people should align their motives with their intents, in order to remain faithful when nobody is looking at them, be honest when they are in public offices and stay steadfast when someone tries to misleead or manipulate them.
As knowledge always comes through action and application, researches are apparently launched when gaps appear in the understanding of a problem and are carried out on the basis of problem-solving, if the solution to the problem results in the improvement of practice.
Hanad’s research is action in action research, and consists of investigations, observations and studies carried out in the course of an activity or occupation, typically in the field of actions, to improve the processes and approaches involved.
As rivers were the primal highways of life, dishonesty is the pathway for Somaliland’s social, economic and political order system. The career in the public service is not for anyone who wants to work for Somaliland country and its people. Rather it is a career that is for putting personal interests first, ahead of the public interests. There is no public servant who carries out his/her duty in all fairness and honesty. No one, regardless of who one is and which position he or she holds, is ready to make a difference, anything that might make peoples’ life better. Nothing is done without payments of bribe.
A nation torn apart by tribalism; laws that not enforced; rules and regulations that are not respected; institutions that neithet do their duties nor take their roles and responsibilities; police forces that are not prepared to defend justice, but programmed to punish people and deprive of their rights; leaders that are corrupt; public servants undisciplined in how they should perform their tasks; self-styled government officials who are not trained in what public trust positions are all about, these are the eye-catching problems that make Hanad’s heart melt.
All day long, the effects of these heart-breaking problems never get out of Hanad’s mind, because he sees them happen; he encounters them; he gets affected by them directly and indirectly; he worries about when things will change; when his country will become a country; when his people will change their mindset; he imagines when that will happen, but his imagination tells him that changes only come when people want to have changes in their lifestyle and learning behavior.
This is the time when Hanad starts to look at here and there, enter this office and that; walk from ministry to ministry, from department to another, observe how things go wrong, and how works get done and undone. Hanad does not stop there; he visits every police station, where he examines how soldiers treat people at their custody; he listens to how the police interrogates arrested people; he finds out how long a person might be remanded in the police stations and when and in which occassion a person could be arrested, until he arrives at the fact that people are imprisoned at any time without bailable or non-bailable warrant.
Democracy is not the watchword, the only element that seem to be efficient and effective in terms of ruling behavior, though Somaliland system had been democratic for 30 years. What is the problem then?
The problem, argues Hanad, is the government, the system that is established. A government is not the bastion of a few who sit at the top. A government is the people, communities that inhabit Somaliland. “Let’s imagine what can happen when people have no say in how they are ruled”, Hanad asserts.
The real problem, as Hanad and his likes believe, is that Somaliland government is just a crony type of individuals who united to enrich their own lives immeaurably. What those individuals who sit at the top say, do and decide is where the problem is.
It is as if Somaliland governmrnt system is made to disappoint, demoralise, and dehumanize instead of emasculate and encourage the doctors in the hospitals, the judges and lawyers in the courts, the teachers who teach the teens in schools, the students studying in universities, and all others who wish to build Somaliland into the bastions of invincibility.
The disunity in which Somaliland currently stands is what urges Hanad to launch his research. If there is one reason above all others for Hanad to make the research, it is the reason of despair, disarray and disorder that demonstrates and displays the fact that Somaliland affairs are not in their expected places.
Hanad’s worry about what is happening in his country allows him no respite all night long and no intent of illwill occures in Somaliland government offices from which his anger and agony could not extract their food.
Hanad wakes up every morning with a different mood, too tired of thinking what he saw yesterday and what he will see tomorrow, contemplating how a country will become without clarity on constitution and without having the right sorts of fundamental principles.
“It is all bad and it is all sad”, Hanad says every morning, “to see how public servants play the disciplinary system and break laws for this land. No government, whether democratic or dictatorship, can give its citizens the right to break its laws. To let its people break what ethically, socially, economically, culturally and politically binds all citizens together (law) is to allow them to destroy the nation.”
“Mr. mayor, what is the code of conduct for local government?”, Hanad asked.
“What do you mean by code of conduct?”, returned the mayor.
“I mean the values, rules, and standards outlining what the local government expects from its staff to observe.”
“Punctuality is the first principle the employees should observe; reacting after public requests and requirements is also among the standards that the staff should respect”, said the mayor.
“Why these guidelines such as performing functions of office in good faith and in a transparent manner and act at all times in
the best interest of the people and keep the credibility and integrity of the municipality uncompromised, are excluded from the local government’s code of conduct, Mr. mayor?”
“Keeping credibility of Hargeisa municipality clean is always under my watch. Hargeisa munucpality is far off from being discreditable.”
“What makes a person credible?”
“Credibility depends on how a person behaves”, proclaimed the mayor.
“But behavior is a combination of what a person usually does and says. That is, what someone does rather than says, is how people judge each other and determine if someone is credible or not. So, which one cam build a person’s credibility, what he or she does or what he or she says? Or can credibility be earned when what a person does and says match with each other?”
“‘The answer to this question needs a little time to think about.”
“What is the most important commitment
of a public servant?”
“It incumbent upon all public servants to serve the public with diligence. That is the most important commitment public servants should do for their people.”
“Don’t you think that public service is a trust that requires public servants to place loyalty to the public, to the constitution, to the laws and to the fundamental principles above private gains?”
“Mr. Hanad, who told you we are not loyal to our country and its people?”
“Mr. mayor, don’t get me wrong. To be loyal to our country is an obligation and, of course, a social responsibility that all of us must always remember.”
“Mr. mayor, what is public service? How can you define the services that the LG provides to the public?”, asked Hanad.
“Public service is the service that the local government provides to the public.”
“What is the role of public services?
“Public service ensures public health and promotes public awareness. That is the role of public service”, returned the mayor.
“‘What is the most important role of public service?”
“I think every role of public service is important” , replied the mayor.
“Good trial. But the most important role of public service is the equal distribution of government resources efficiently, effectively and economically to the nationals. Does this make sense to you?”, asked Hanad.
“Yes, of course.”
“Can you please describe the importance of public service, Mr. mayor? In other words, why municipalities provide services to the peoole?”
“Because people need help from their government”, returned the mayor.
“One more essential point that must be well acquainted with, Mr. mayor, is that providing services to the public is a calling promise where citizens and organization can mobilize themselves to build a better future for the nation”, added Hanad.
“Mr. mayor, what are your strengths and weaknesses? In other words, in what areas do you believe that you are strong or weak in the context of your role?”
“I am very strong in all my roles as a mayor. There is no area surrounding my role at which I am really weak. For me, weakness is when someone is unable to do his or her work. Thanks to God, I really believe that I excel at how the LG is run.”
“Politicians who run for a public office are judged and chosen in two ways: the position they take on pressing issues and the leadership qualities and experience a candidate would bring to office. Mr. mayor, what did make you special when you were running for city mayor? Do you have specific merits that are yet unkonwn to me that made you more compentent than all other councillors?”, asked Hanad.
The scene that followed, thought it lasted for a few seconds, was too painful to be described – the mayor himself shrank from referring to it. Let it be enough to say that the mayor declared, in the most negative terms, that he did not want to answer that question, because, he argued, tbat the question was not actually applicable to how Somaliland people elect their politicians during election times.
“I don’t want to answer this question because it is not relevant to the process in which Somaliland people elect their politicians at the time of election”, said the mayor.
“Can anyone of you please shed a light on how do people determine their decision to pick up the best candidates? I have a concern and cause for this matter”, Hanad insisted.
“Look”, said a councillor who laughed at the mayor’s answer to the given question, “Mr. Hanad, “Somaliland people judge candidates by their dress, but never by their merits. They don’t see what is in the candidates, but they look at what is in their wallets/ledgers. They elect the candidates who betrayed them in the past and would betray them in the future. They never pay their attention to the those who will never put their hands in public purse.”
“Thank you very much. Living in Somaliland teaches us many things that make us wonder. I appreciate your answer so much, Mr. councillor”, returned Hanad.
“Mr. mayor, what are your passions?” “Passions”, Hanad went on, “are often something humans love to do constantly.”
“Mr. Hanad, can you please give me an example of what a passion is?”
“Innovation can be your passion. Putting your country first before personal interests is, I believe, the best legacy that compassinate leaders mostly leave hehind. Is passion clear to you now?”, Hanad said.
“Yes.”
“Then what is your passion?”
“Of course, enhancing public life is my passion”, replied the mayor.
“Mr. mayor, if ehancing peoples’ lives is your passion, what projects have you so far fulfilled in Hargeisa city? If any, please mention them”, Hanad asked.
In fact, questions such as this is among those that the mayor hates most, because
he has neither legacy nor reputation for making life better for all segments of the population that lives in hargeisa city. He knew he was running the local government like a predator on stroids, with a bulky belly and blurred vision.
Masking his failure with naked lies, the mayor said, “The local government implemented many projects in Maroodi-jeex district. We bulit MCHs, playgrounds and roadways in all districts of Hargeisa City.”
“Mr. mayor, what kind of legacy would you leave behind for Hargeisa citizenry? In short, how history will remember you?”
“The greatest legacy I will leave behind is
one that will positively make a difference in the lives of Hargeisa citizens. People will remember my limitless generosity, my exessive efforts to make Hargeisa city beautiful.”
“Do you agree or disagree with the mayor about how history would remember him, honorable councillors?”
“‘Mr. Hanad, have you come here to find out my failures and faults?”, the mayor said.
The question shocked Hanad. He took
his eyeglasses off his face, glazing at the mayor and said, “If you get something out of perspective, you fail to judge its real importance in relation to everything else. Remember to keep things in perspective
by finding out the opinion of other people. There is nothing wrong in knowning what other councillors can say about the legacy that you will leave behind, Mr. mayor.”
In the country of “I have been a mujahid”, no mujahid reveals himself as he is; they all wear masks and play a role.
By : Jamafalaag
Somaliland, Hargeisa.
jamafalaag@gmail.com
As per usual the opinions expressed in this articale are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions of qarannews.com
