Many innocent people are deliberately misled by the repeated invocation of Garowe 1, 2, and 3—as if these meetings distorted or biased the Provisional Federal Constitution, or constituted evidence of Puntland domination over Somalia’s constitutional-making process. In reality, the slogan is increasingly deployed as a political weapon to inflame rivalry between Garowe and Mogadishu, framed along a dangerous clan narrative: Darod/Majeerteen versus Hawiye/Hirab.
This framing is false, irresponsible, and deeply harmful.
Garowe Conferences: Hard Political Negotiations to prevent Central dominance
The Garowe conferences were hard political negotiations intended to prevent excessive power concentration in Mogadishu and to avoid the political marginalization of peripheral regions- not to advantage or disadvantage any clan.
In practical terms, Garowe 1, 2, and 3 had no specific or negative impact on Hawiye/Hirab political interests, nor did they undermine the substance, adequacy, or legitimacy of the Provisional Federal Constitution.
The Constitution reflects the real consequences of Somalia’s state collapse, prolonged civil war, and entrenched mistrust among clans—not the agenda of any single region or political group. It emerged from painful national compromises necessary to end the transition and establish an internationally recognized Federal Republic of Somalia, which subsequently received substantial international political, diplomatic, economic, and security support.
Accordingly, the Provisional Federal Constitution:
•Prohibits clan discrimination and factionalism
•Rejects any claim of sovereignty by clans or armed groups
•Affirms equality, unity, human dignity, and fundamental human rights
•Defines citizenship as individual-based, not clan-based
•Establishes the supremacy of the rule of law
All federal, state, and local authorities are constitutionally obligated to uphold and faithfully implement these principles.
The constitution also deliberately allowed the Somali people additional time to debate, elaborate, negotiate, and agree on the formation of federal institutions capable of safeguarding national unity and shared prosperity.
Territorial Recognition and Federal Structure
The Provisional Federal Constitution explicitly recognizes:
•The 18 regions and districts that legally existed prior to the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in January 1991
•A federal system to be implemented through a clear constitutional process
•A review and completion mechanism to correct gaps and refine governance structures
It further promotes a unified, harmonized national federal government with authority over the entire country and its people.
These provisions were not designed to empower clans, but to reconstitute a fractured state and prevent renewed conflict.
Where the Real Failure Lies
Responsibility for Somalia’s constitutional and federal dysfunction lies not with the Garowe conferences nor with the Provisional Federal Constitution, but squarely with political leadership failures after 2012.
Primary responsibility rests with:
•The Federal Parliament (2012–2025) for failing to complete the Constitution, institutionalize federalism, enforce accountability, uphold the rule of law, and pursue competent legislative practice
•President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (2012–2016 and 2022–2025) and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo (2017–2022) for deviating from constitutional guidelines, obligations, and basic principles of sound governance—undermining orderly state-building in favor of narrow private and political interests.
This does not absolve Puntland’s regional leadership of responsibility. Puntland presidents also bore a national duty to promote reconciliation, unity, and good governance across Somalia. They were obligated to support a united, integrated, and harmonized federal system, not a fragmented or competitive one.
Disorderly State Formation and Missed Opportunities
The later formation of federal member states—Jubbaland, Southwest, Galmudug, and Hirshabelle—contributed little to effective federal governance due to:
•Lack of political will and national vision
•Institutional incapacity and incompetence
•Narrow interests, ignorance, and absence of patriotism
As a result, federalism was distorted into a tool of elite control rather than a genuine system of decentralized democracy.
What the Constitution Actually Intended
The Provisional Federal Constitution provides clear guidance for:
•Formation of federal member states
•Completion and review of the Constitution
•Democratic governance
•Replacement of clan identity with Somali citizenship
•Promotion of a free-market economy
•Absolute respect for human rights and the rule of law
The Federal Republic of Somalia is constitutionally founded on:
•Inclusive representation of people—not clans
•A genuine multiparty political system—not arbitrary limits of two or three parties
•Social justice—not selective or discriminatory justice
Conclusion: A Slogan That Must Be Repudiated
The slogan “Garowe 1, 2, and 3” has become a dead horse—revived only to incite division, distract from real failures, and poison national discourse. It should be publicly repudiated and politically shamed.
The Provisional Federal Constitution remains a foundational document that requires completion and faithful implementation—not manipulation. Its purpose is to unite the people of the Federal Republic of Somalia, strengthen national belonging, and promote stability, development, and harmony.
Efforts to unite Somali people—whether within Somalia or across borders—must never obstruct or delay the unity, interests, security, and dignity of Somali citizens of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Clan rivalry, recrimination, and smear politics do not build nations.
Constitutions, citizenship, and the rule of law do.
