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Political system and parties in Somaliland

By Abdurahman Mohamed Ahmed -- Somaliland

                                     

            To understand  political policies and formations in Somaliland  a background to the country’s history is important.

 Somaliland was once a protectorate under British. It obtained its independence from British government on June 26, 1960.

Geographically Somaliland lies on Horn of Africa. It has a total population of three million  and a land area of 137.600 square kilometers. It shares a common border with South Ethiopia, West republic Djibouti North red sea (Golf of Aden) East Somalia

After four days of its independent day, Somaliland united with what was called southern Somalia, which had obtained  its independence from Italy on July 1, 1960 to create greater Somalia, consisting of British Somaliland; Italian Somaliland(Southern Somalia); French Somaliland (Djibouti); NFD(Now north eastern region of Kenya ); and the  Houd and Reserve area (Zone 5)of Ethiopia.

But efforts to create the great Somalia comprising the five regions didn’t work. French Somaliland (Djibouti) refused to join them when it gained her  independence from France in 1977.  NFD became a part of Kenya. Houd and reserve area became part of Ethiopia.

Somalilanders started to struggle for their independence again. It resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousand of its people and loss of property.  Somalilaland declared  her independence from Somalia and established the Republic Somaliland on May 18,  1991.

Since that day, Somaliland  has maintained its independence with its all basic government institutions, like:- separate bounderies, separate currency, president, parliament and government institutions.

Abdirahman Ahmed Ali (tur) was elected for a term of two years as the first president by the Council of Elders, SNM members and all Somaliland community elders’  at a conference held in Burao, the second city of Somaliland.

During his term no significant economic  development was achieved. The country was economically poor, a  situation  worsened by effects of the long struggle for independence. This resulted  in internal conflicts when Addirahman’s term ended.

Mr.Mahomed Ibrahim Egal was elected as a second president of Somaliland in a conference held Borama the third city of Somaliland.

Mr. Egal immediately started demobilization of the warring militia, formation of government institution and protocols.

He established a separate currency, a new constitution Somaliland. It was  the first democratic constitution and was  based of the Islamic faith cultural forms and the popular will of the Somaliland community.

When his first term ended, Egal was re-elected to a  second term of five years. During his second term, a referendum for the constitution was held and 99 percent  of the community accepted it.

According to the Somaliland constitution, the number of political parties is limited to three. The curent national political parties are UDUB, UCID  and Kulmiye.

 

UDUB PARTY  

UDUB is one of the political parties in Somaliland founded in 2001. Its founder  was Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, previous president. Of Somaliland.  

He formed structures and a constitution for  the party. But he died before he reached his program.

After Egal’s death, his deputy Mr. Dahir Riyale Kahin was appointed to complete the remaining term. Kahin became the chairman of the UDUB Organization.

In the first local councils election UDUB  won 44 percent of the polls.

The other parties won 56  percent together. According to the constitution,  UDUB  became the first organization to become  a  national party.

In the second elections held after five months UDUB won 46.5  percent while the second party Kulmiye  won 46.4 percent and the third party won 17.1 percent.

In the third election. Three political parties participated in parliamentary  elections.

UDUB gained 33 members of parliament out of 82.  According to the second and third elections  number of  UDUB supporters decreased. For that reason, I met one of top leaders of the party, Mr. Hassan Abib.

I asked him why UDUB’s support had decreased.  

He said “It is true that we have lost some supporters but this was mainly because of the electoral commission cancelled 19 electoral constituencies  which were dominated by  UDUB party supporters. He said this action was   due to pressure from the opposition party of kulmiye. Since UDUB was the leading party “we prefer no to argue with opposition parties. Also the UDUB candidates who failed were mainly, non campaigners and don’t know how to campaign well,” he said.

What success you have made till now?  I asked him.

He said “as you know UDUB is the leading party of the government and a majority of all local municipal council members are  from UDUB; 33 members of the parliament are also from UDUB and so is the president of the country.

“This is great success that needs to be watched.”

 KULMIYE PARTY

 Kulmiye, the second largest political party and the leading opposition party was formed in 2002. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, a senior politician and former  chairman of SNM freedom struggle movement, was elected as the chairman of the party. This party started with great campaign and showed many successes in the three elections held in the country. They have won a considerable number seats in  municipality elections of the country, and have 28 members out of 82 parliament seats. Their candidate  lost the presidential election by only 280 votes. However, after this election, the community support  for  Kulmiye party  has been  decreasing, due to its extremist opposition against the elected president of UDUB party. Although Kulmiye has been losing some of its supporters since the last presidential elections it still remains the second largest political party in Somaliland.

I met with Mr. Osman Hindi the current chairman of kulmiye Hargeisa regional office and put the following question to him.

When your party was founded?  I asked.

He replied that his party was formed in 2002. And Silanyo was elected as the first chairman

I asked him whether there is a particular group of society that your party is concerned with.

He said “yes, our party is particularly concerned with the situation of SNM warriors, and their widowed or orphaned women and children.”

What is kulmiye  doing to gain community confidence?

He said, “We are qreatly concerned about those who struggled for the liberation and re-independence of this country. To offer their rights, support them for their history and prepare them for the country leadership is our main policy campaign.

I asked: What successes have you made till now?

He said the party nearly won the presidency in the last elections.  Kulmiye  has got a large number of members in  councils and parliament.

  

UCID PARTY

 

UCID, (The justice and well fare party) was founded by a group of Somaliland intellectuals, elders, and community leaders in 2001. These intellectuals, led by Faisal Ali Warabe, mainly came from the Somaliland community in Diaspora (out side the community). They elected Faisal Ali Warabe as the chairman of the party;  nominated their executive committee members and central committee members. They also  wrote the constitution of the party with its regional, district and village level structures. At the beginning this party seems a little bit weaker than the other two parties of UDUB and kulmiye.

But they worked hard and have improved.  They have won  21 percent of seats in parliament. The current chairman of Somaliland parliament is from UCID party.

UCID  now plays an important role in the politics of the country taking an advantage of their neutral opposition policy. UCID  has a promising future in Somaliland politics if they maintain  their political strategies..

I met with Mr.Mohamed Urade a member of UCID executive committee and now the deputy mayor of Hargeisa city and asked him the following questions about UCID party. - When was your party was founded?

He told me that the first congress of the party was held on 2001 and that Faisal Ali Warabe was elected as a party chairman.

I asked him; is there any particular group of the society, that your party has a particular concern?

He said, yes UCID is concerned with  issues relating to youth and young generation, like,  their education, health, and well being.

I asked, What is the core of your party policy that you want to gain the community confidence in order to win the leadership of the country?

He replied: We are promising, that every somalilander will get free education, at least up to secondary school, free medical care, and as shown by the name of our party as justice for all everyone is equal under the law regardless of race, religions sex , wealthy or poor.

I also asked: What success have you achieved so far?

He said “First we succeeded to be recognized as a political party. We have members in local municipalities in the whole country. And the current chairman of Somaliland parliament is from our party”

I also asked: What obstacles that are hindering the smooth running of your political party duties?

He replied: The major difficulties that we are facing are  the economy, every thing is short like the other country institution in regard of economy. We receive no outside assistance from any government. The other problems include the mass media, radio, TV, and journals are confined only in Hargeisa