By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – the Somaliland capital Hargeisa is in a hype of anticipation for the arrival of a prominent Somalia politician Ismail Mahmud Hurre “Bubaa”
The rumoured arrival of Mr Bubaa a prominent pro Somalia unionist’s politician who is expected back to the country of his birth decades after he switched his alliance to Mogadishu has caught citizens of Somaliland who had to do with one of their own supporting Somalia by surprise.
Before his expected home coming he had to switch his allegiance from his vehement anti-Somaliland fight and relentless campaign both locally and internationally for the government of his country of birth to re-unite with the federal republic of Somalia which is a capital offence in Somaliland.
The native son of Somaliland served twice as the foreign minister of the Transitional of Somalia government, first from 2000 to 2002 and from mid-2006 to early 2007 before fading out from government though he continued his Somaliland bashing.
Prior to granting his political allegiance to Italian Somalia Ismail Bubaa served as the Somaliland minister of Finance during the first post Somalia union withdrawal administration of late President Abdirahman Ali Tuur in the early 90’s but soon fell out with the president and as a result shifted his loyalty to Mogadishu.
Born in Hargeisa Somaliland around 1943 Ismail Bubaa is also a former SNM freedom fighter who fought during the brutal war of the 80’s with the army of the then dictator Siyad Barre that led in 1991 to Somalilanders withdrawing from their 1960 voluntary later turned fateful union with Italian Somalia and re-establishing sovereignty of their former British protectorate country.
While no official statement has been issued by either the authorities in Mogadishu or Hargeisa covert preparations funded by the Somaliland authorities as pertains to the imminent return of Bubaa are evident especially erection of big billboards in various places within the capital city welcoming him back to his country of birth.
Now based in Qatar where he shifted base recently presumably after the flagging fortunes in Mogadishu of a large number of native Somalilanders who owe loyalty to Somalia thence considered traitors under Somaliland law has become overt lately.
Though some traitorous landers hold senior positions in the Federal Government of Somalia discontent with treatment in Mogadishu has come to the fore with rumours of planned mass defections back to their motherland but most poignant is the demise of MP Yusuf Dirir Abdi, a U.K. citizen and native son of Somaliland, who was assassinated by Somali government security agents in broad daylight on his return from a parliamentary meeting in Mogadishu on Saturday May 23, 2015.
Recent press statements by the ageing politician whose past anti-Somaliland sentiments injured the quest for international recognition, infer that the on-going turmoil in his former beloved Somalia can only end upon the sovereignty of Somaliland as an independent country being acknowledged globally.
While such sentimentality is expected as a prelude to garnering pardon from the Somaliland authorities thence being absolved from prosecution and coming in the heels of a similar defection by prof. Ahmed Ismael Samatar who was a member of parliament and a unsuccessful Somalia presidential candidate but in his prime of age and politics. The return of ageing Bubaa is of no consequences.
In contrast to the huge impact generated by the defection of Prof Samatar, that of the ageing Bubaa who is among the most staunch anti –Somaliland and pro- Somaliweine politician is of no positive or negative consequences apart from allowing him space to recoup his homesickness emanating from decades absence.
All in all and it being always better late than never WELCOME HOME HONOURABLE ISMAEL MOHAMMUD HURRE “BUBAA”
Meanwhile Are unionists of Somaliland origin in Mogadishu to Roost back Home?
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