Somaliland Needs a Credible Process for Registering Political
Parties
After a decade, the Somaliland electorate is heading to the polls to
elect candidates for the local elections. Nine political parties
would contest for the upcoming election; however, the process the
un-elected registration commission selected the political parties
was flaw, questionable and un-democratic, and it could undermine our
fledging democracy.
The three existing political parties lack transparency,
accountability, and internal democracy in th eir party structure. In
addition, the political parties are responsible to determine who
will represe nt them in elections. Nevertheless, the process parties
use to list their candidates is also very cor rupt, secretive, and
with little input from the voters. Only candidates the party bosses
approve would appear on the ballot. Consequently, party leaders push
candidates who are less qualified into candidacy over legitimately
qualified person who might serve the community interest better.
The split of UCID party, the unfolding power struggle over the
leadership of UDUB party, and the fiasco over the expulsion from
Kulmiye party, one of their top leaders, Mr. Abdurrahman Abdulkad er,
were symptoms of a more systematic mess in our political parties.
Last year, in a press conference, the former vice chairman of the
Kulimiye offered a candid sugge stion and advice to President
Silanyo who is also the Kulmiye leader: how to heal and bring toget
her his own constituents (HY) and the Kulmiye party.
Mr. Abdulkader is the type of individuals our country needs now. He
deserved and qualified to hol d a cabinet post on a Kulmiye
administration, but that never materialized. Because of the Dahabs
hil Group faction of the Kulmiye party, who transformed the true
platform of the party---to prom ote the interest and the needs of
Somaliland citizens, into a system of political patronage. The nar
row-minded group who is running the country and the party could not
tolerate his constructive cr iticism for a better country; instead
decided to humiliate him in a heavy-handed manner.
If his allege conduct was so severe, why it took so long for Kulimye
leadership to take any action against Mr. Abdulkader. Instead of
police treating him like an intruder and dragging him on the flo or,
it would have been more appropriate for the party leadership , to
let him appear in a close hea ring of some type of disciplinary or
administrative procedure, and give him a chance to defend him self
against the allegations of misconduct.
Unfortunately, the video of the Somaliland police beating a man who
suffered severe back injuries due to the motor vehicular accident,
while he was welcoming candidate Silanyo, in 2009, went vira l over
the internet across the region, and it is likely that type of image
might tarnish Somaliland’s fledging democracy. Some voters might
eventually turn away from the Kulmiye party because it has no
tolerance for dissent voices.
In order to promote fairness, to protect the rights of every citizen
to run for an office, and to off er voters more choices ---a more
transparent process ---which is democratic and inclusive is nee ded
to select the political parties, party leadership, and candidates .
I do not believe opening mo re political would change the systematic
failures of current political system unless changes are m ade. There
are no laws governing political parties’ registration and financing.
We should have term limit for the party leaders, and transparency
over the fundraising and the financial contributions the parties
receive. For example, If the term would have limit existed on the by
laws of the UCID party; the dispute over the leadership would not
have gone all the way to the court.
They system we have, now, is not working. We need a system that is
free from corruption and co nstant interference from whoever running
the country Since President Silanyo appointed the sev en-member
commission certifying the political parties ; its independence is
questionable. For exam ple, who are they to tell, UDHIS is not a
political party, while at the same time recognizing Nasiye or Rays
as legitimate party?
A faction of mainly former members of Somali National Movement that
was dissatisfied the way Kulmiye party managed the nomination
process for candidate Silanyo formed UDHIS. They got the best
organization---offices, members and platform. Yet the so-called
registration commission fail ed to certify UDHIS for political
reason because simply Silanyo administration does not like any
credible opposition.
As we know, there is no active political opposition group in the
country. The speaker of the legisla ture, Mr. Cirro, has made the
parliament a rubber stamp legislature body. Whatever legislative ag
enda, the special interest groups demand such as communications,
banking, opening new dialogue with a government of Somalia that does
not even exist, was passed thoughtlessly. As far as the legislature,
maybe, a few handful legislators are aware the state of the country.
Just look closely for the speaker, not only he made the legislative
body insignificant, but he also abandoned his fulltime
job---managing the legislature. Instead, he is very busy organizing
his own new political party “Waddani” and he spent most of the time
travelling overseas and fundraising activities. I think it is
people’s interest for the speaker to resign from the post and to
concentra te more on for his political party.
Fixing the political quandary, we are in, is not going to be easy.
However, We should rather make the process to register political
parties simpler and not cumbersome.. The electoral commission c ould
use voter registration database to gauge the strength and the
support each contesting par ty had. For example, the commission
would set a guideline--- a party would be recognized as a le
gitimate one if: there are at least 5,000 registered voters who
voted last presidential election, is being affiliated with the
party. In addition, the party should have regional offices and
platform.
The blatant disqualification by the un-elected registration
commission the parties such as UDHIS, to contest the election,
demonstrates the urgent need to change how the voters elect their
lea ders. Dismantling the dysfunctional three –party monopoly
political system would give the elector ate more choices, offer
thousands of voters who support other parties and independent
candidat es an opportunity effectively to participate political
process. Otherwise, the current political syst em would completely
disfranchise large portion of our population.
* Allah bless
Somaliland*
''Long live
Somaliland''
Ali Mohamed
Co-founder Growth and
Development Club of Somaliland
Lewis Center, Ohio
aliadm@aol.com |
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