The 10x ruling Kulmiye governments is in the wrong;
1. The ruling governments announced the political parties to be opened only after they lost the Local and Parliamentary elections to the opposition end of 2021, showcasing not only that they are bad losers but will also do anything to prevent being ousted from power.
2. Elections are based on rules and precedence, the regime decided to change the rules of the game unilaterally without even having any underlying laws in place to support direct political party elections to take place.
3. Somaliland’s social contract is based on dialogue and consensus, and every elections that took place in Somaliland’s history was based on concerns us between ruling government and opposition. And this is the first time that a party (the ruling government) is pushing its agenda without seeking political consensus.
4. Opening the political parties while there is a conflict in Las Anod and some of the major party contenders from those constituencies not being able to participate (Xaglatoosiye, Cataash), and those constituencies not being represented doesn’t make any sense and would only reinforce political system domination by Habro’s, and excluding every chance of inclusivity and northern clans to have a shared political platform. And logic would dictate that it’s in SL interest to open the party system after resolving the SSC conflict, as political ownership of SL is the core in the conflict.
5. Having national party elections decoupled from local council elections means that there are no local councillors who can observe a fair vote and ensure guarding the votes they receive in each polling station. Local political party observers can easily be bought and wouldn’t be fully be able to ensure fair vote counting on polling station level, as previous incident with the last Presidential elections have shown with some of the UCID votes being redirected as UCID observers were easily bought and had no big stake in the game. As direct party elections is quite new and hasn’t been done so far, it has its risks and can lead to new gaps and loopholes nobody is prepared for.
6. The current ruling party after becoming a national party, contested twice the Presidential elections before they had to compete in new party elections. Kulmiye contested for the Presidency in 2003(lost to UDUB), and 2010(won against UDUB) before the parties were opened in 2012. And now Kulmiye is denying Wadani that same chance and precedence of being having to compete twice with the same party. Wadani only run against Kulmiye in 2017, and should have a chance to run a second time against Kulmiye as is precedence and accordingly with the original constitutional time-schedule of the elections.
7. The Presidential mandate has expired, the electoral laws for Presidential elections are there and the electoral committee has stated last year it can organise these elections already earlier this year. And there is nothing holding SL back from going in to Presidential elections, were it not for the sole refusal of the ruling party. This is also new as term for elections is determined by electoral committee, which has been overruled by the High Court without substantial legal arguments.
8. We know from past Political party elections these lead to heightened clan polarization and tensions, more so than with any other political elections. And with the current political tension, insecurity and violence in Las Anod and Gacan Libaax it doesn’t make sense to further divide and polarize the people by holding party elections in which divisions appear even on sub- sub-clan levels.
9. If the ruling government can provide a political solution and directions forward, who else will take that responsibility. In addition they have politicized the Guurti elders without an agreement, making them toothless and are in no position to offer mediation as per custom, making SL without a body to offer moral leadership that can facilitate arbitration or mediation in any sort of dispute.
10. The stapling of legal, political and violance in the country without offering any sort of roadmap or consultation process to explore a way out, while at the same time pushing for party election showcases that the sole purpose of the regime is to stay in power and prolong its chances to stay in office and see these continuing disputes as pathways to achieve that goal.