Some people in Somaliland wish to believe that the President is unaware of what is happening in the country- rising inflation and the boundless corruption that is taking place throughout his administration. Yes, The Somaliland people entertain themselves by hiding their heads in the sand that poor old Silanyo is oblivious to his surroundings. To a certain extent, this assertion might be true, knowing only too well that the poor old Silanyo is an ill man, whose cognitive capabilities have been eroded and compromised by the onset of dementia as a result of an advanced Alzheimer’s disease. What is baffling is that he knows to keep his closest of kin in certain ministerial portfolios, including the minister of Presidency, and allows his term (as well as theirs) extended despite his public statements to the contrary! When senility sets in, old people generally speaking, become rather stubborn or unyielding to the extent of being laughable. Certain opinions lasted long enough for those who know him realize, only too well, that the author is none other than the Il Presidente himself. Removing the ownership of Berbera Port from the Public Ownership and placing it in private hands is an age old cherished dream of one Silanyo. His statements during the civil war around Berbera harbor can be referenced for such an opinion.That this would drastically affect government earnings might have been underestimated by him and his cronies but the dream to usurp ownership has been his long sought dream. Senility, unfortunately, also makes the affected person become vulnerable to manipulations from those persons they trust the most.
The President once served as President Egal’s minister of Finance and remembers quite vividly the struggle to expand the revenue domain. Knowingly or not, this domain has been shrinking since his becoming president. The present minister of finance has been ill-advised to flood the market with worthless Somaliland shillings in her quest to gather as much hard currency as possible, from the open market, during the few remaining months of this chronically corrupt administration. These actions have exacerbated the value of the currency over and above the irresponsible measures noted above. Talking about putting into effect a long gone Auditor General and the institutions of accountability at this time is like violently pushing a rake in the ominous wounds of a downtrodden country.
Ali Ege
