The future of change in Djibouti impossible!

The future of change in Djibouti impossible!

The infamous discourse of I.O.G, the current president of Djibouti, at the occasion of the Muslim Aid Al Adha, reflected, by and large, the crux of the matter about the mounting speculations of his intended life presidency in the country. To begin with, the man began his speech hesitantly willing to appear as to being coerced to raise the question of the upcoming presidential elections by just circumstances; and that he’d prefer to talk about that at the right time, meaning, April next year, or precisely, the same very month that the elections are due to be held in the country! But, he was apparently in a composed nature of mood, slightly nervous, and sure of what he was about to say. I’d hereby deliberately allow myself to ignore the flagrant self-flattering by saying ‘the people would tell who’s generous (Deeqsi!), and that the people would have the chance among different candidates with varying political agenda’s!’ ,because it was merely a notorious maneuver to intimidate an already beleaguered opposition and lame appeal to delude the people once again. And because these kinds of talks bear no significant impact on the mainstream political course, but rather are campaign-related releases to convey certain messages to the concerned parties, mainly the people and political opponents.

Coming back to the point, in his speech he avoided to address the issue of modifying the constitution in the favor of numerous presidential terms or even infinite one that he recently contrived; and if these modifications would be presented to the people as a referendum or not, as was the case in the first ever revision and alteration of the constitution, which is actually the country’s makeshift constitution prior to the independence, in 1992. This simply means that IOG, after successfully distancing any possible contender to his iron rule, he just dispensed with the people also! There is no choice left for these people anymore, it’s more like a matter of public obedience that’s expected, and that’s a blatant behavioral symptom of a dictator in the making!

Second, the modification itself was a major controversial topic in the first place, and to my opinion, it was not democratic if not unconstitutional altogether. In a democratic process, such kind of important moves like modification of a constitution, normally things evolve gradually from a base of commonly shared viewpoints to the inevitable need of doing it, and these procedures consume considerable period of time. Public awareness is a conditional prerequisite that could never be ignored. Anyhow, IOG dared to challenge all these and is opting for the impregnable posture mainly attributed to reckless depots unfortunately.

Third the timing of the discourse was accurately synchronized, it  came shortly after an alleged RTD antenna is launched in Ottawa, Canada, a move that embittered the opposition and pushed some of them to imprudently handle the matter, and of course, shortly before a planned meeting of the opposition in London. The signal to the first incident was that despite the opposition’s mounting presence abroad, their sporadic resistance to any governmental project of this caliber wouldn’t necessarily spare them the humiliation. And to the second, it was obviously a strongly worded challenge to their very cause of change and democracy in the country.

Finally, the reigning political atmosphere and the forthcoming murky clouds of uncertainty are both discouraging and the already negliged, impoverished and disadvantaged populations of this tiny African mini-state are the sad losers of this endless cycle of political instability starred by ruthless demagogues with discrepant political programs!

Nabad iyo Caano.