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''