The NEC have announced that next Saturday will be the start of the official Presidential campaigns. News from Hargeisa are confirmed that the next few weeks until election day will see the largest and most expensive campaign yet in the history Somaliland. Specially the two largest political parties namely Kulmiye & Waddani have stashed a lot of cash for their campaigns. The business community is visibly active in this elections and the divide is very clear. The 2017 elections have been postponed twice, originally scheduled in July 2015 and then Mar 2017. The two delays have given amble time for the political parties to establish a very complex web of campaigns, which include among others Private TV stations, social media & on the ground organisations & fleets of cars. Posters, t-shirts, caps and other items are flooding the streets of major cities. The amount of money that will be spent in the next 4 weeks is going to reach in the millions.

while all are sitting in deep sh!t... Which is exactly why I didn't comment on this. Harag sakaaro yacni.

Around 4000 polling station staff to be trained in a mock election which is held at the NEC HQ.

http://www.wardheernews.com/saving-the-unity-of-somalia-an-open-letter-to-president-farmajo/

@Saalax said: I don't know what big picture you are talking about. Somaliland has lost meaning. 1. Somaliland will never be recognized 2. Somaliland became hagbadland 3. Everyone will go their own way and form their own federal states. That is the end. You are so simplistic. Why are you so worked up then if that was the case. If I was feeling that, I wouldn't be sweating about Somaliland every day. For the record, if recognition would help anyone it would have helped Villa Somalia which is under UN/AMISOM trusteeship. Or South Sudan. Recogntion is not everything. And lack of it, is not end of the world. Somaliland is proof.

@Saalax said: Difference is it is highly unlikely people will accept another 7 years of Kulmiye nonsense. Qabil qaran ma noqdo. So this make-believe project will once and for all be dismantled. Hagbadland can go where the sun doesn't shine. Morally it is wrong to campaign on clan ticket... but there is nothing illegal about it. At the end of the day, if the ballot box confirms the winner, that is the winner. Regardless if people vote on clan lines or if people vote on idea/policy. The people voted. Period. Nothing will change on the big picture regarding Somaliland.

This is election season. There will be a lot of things said during the silly season. But when a winner is anounced after the peaceful election takes place. No one will remember what was said good or bad. Everyone will move on and busy with their day to day issues.

@Che -Guevara said: Suldaanka, Faysal Warabe commented on the meeting. I was wondering to whose benefit was alliance formed? Surely your average HJ and HA urbanite/geeljire will not benefit. I am glad and hope it is true that the young people vote on ideas. And I think Somaliland need to retire men from SNM/Kacaanka era. They have served their purpose. There is a need for new blood. There are few statistical facts on the ground that these elders have not yet grasped to acknowledge. These facts include the following: - 55% of voters will be females (around 60% of whom are under the age of 30 yrs). Supposedly, Women have no Clan. Hence, majority of voters in theory do not subscribe to clans. - 65% of the males voters are under the age of 35 years So essentially, you have 16% of the total voters are males over the age of 35 years. To put it bluntly, over 60% of voters are youth. I think this election will be an eye opener to the old guard. If they do not get in sync with the reality on the ground, they will not be able to fulfill the aspirations of the youth.

I have zero problem with Saalax being anti Siilaanyo or anti Somaliland. Kaam yaa anti Somaliland ah? I expect him to lift his game from the ground to a level that is healthy that we can debate on.

^YoniZ, Meesha malaa waa ka maqnayde, waxa in badan meesha misinformation ku faafinaayay Saalax, siiba faafinta wararka qabiilo is dilaaya, dumar sawiradoodii iyo waxyaabo runtii aan ku masaalay qof aan diin lahayn ama damiir kale oo qabta uu so dhigo. Laakin anigu, waxaan soo dhiga meesha waa topics ka hadlaaya wanaag, horimar iyo mar mar oo siyaasadda/politics ka hadlo. Hadii aad maanta ii sheegtid hal topic oo deel-qaaf ah oon meesha soo dhigay, waa ka raali celinayaa.

Ace of Spade , Are you seriously expecting Mr Farmaajo to govern Somalia when he can’t even read the word radicalization? I gave up on him when he butchered the names of great poets of Somaliland. I think this Farmaajo Gov't will be a trainwreck in slow motion.

Che, This is my personal take on the topic you've touched i.e. clanism/qabyaalad etc. I see two realities in Somaliland. On one corner you have, the reality that is projected by political bigwigs and traditional leaders which revolves around clans. This reality in my opinion is like a "Road show" performed by well known street buskers who have done quite well off it. Because they done well of performing the same antyics for so long, that is become the only trick they know. The current Somaliland politicians have no other trick in their books. It is a real shame. On the other corner you have another reality which is the youth. The Somaliland youth have by all measures moved leaps and bounds away from clanism. They no longer give any attention to the street buskers i.e. politicians and traditional leaders. So in essnese, there is a huge disconnect between the two realities. There was a Shir-beeleed just few days ago in Burco. Supposedly two very large clans have renewed a political pact which existed for the last 20 years or so. This political pact, according to the agreement, will see the East Burco clan throw their lott behind MBA, in a quid-pro-qua. This type of shir-beeleed would have been a Game-Changer in an era when Somaliland President was selected by few indivituals that are themselves selected on clan basis. I.e. the era of 1990s before Somaliland moved to Multi-Party. But in today's reality, that shir-beeleed, will have very minimum affect on the outcome of this elections. The days when few indivituals made deals behind the curtins is long gone. The outcome of this election is purely based on the performance of the Political parties. The politicians and the traditional elders will take time until they catchup with the actual reality on the ground.

National Constitutional Convention boycotted by review and oversight committees Mogadishu (HOL) - Two pivotal bodies that are responsible for the review and implementation of Somalia’s constitution have boycotted a planned conference scheduled from the 8th through the 10th of October in Mogadishu, citing an overreaching Ministry of Constitutional Affairs of derailing the talks. Somalia’s Federal Member States of Puntland, Jubbaland, Galmudug and Southwest have also come out and embargoed the convention for similar reasons. In a statement released to the press, the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) said that proper procedures have not been followed by the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs. Somalia’s Minister of Information, Eng. Abdirahman Omar Osman announced that the national constitutional conference has been postponed due to technical reasons, without citing any specific details. A senior government official who spoke to HOL on the condition of anonymity said that extensive planning went into organizing the conference and the federal government has spent close to $2 million dollars in travel and accommodation for the hundreds of delegates it is hosting. The Oversight Committee Chairman Abdi Qeybdid has called on the international partners and donors to follow his lead in boycotting the conference and asked them to stop financing the 3-day convention. Prime Minister Kheyre held an emergency meeting with the Oversight Committee on Sunday in response to the boycott. OC Chairman Abdi Qeybdid said that the two have reached a tentative agreement but did not elaborate on the status of the convention or whether they will continue to boycott it. Somali Regional leaders convened in Kismayo on Sunday to discuss recent developments in Mogadishu. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the purpose of the meeting could be to form a Federal Member States Council.

@YoniZ said: Waryaa MMA, Odayaasha ka daa tooshkan aad ladaba ordaysid. If you see recent increase in activities, the reason is, they have to deal with many pressing issues, including but not limited to: - Doorashada beelaha calamada xisbiyada tunka kusita. Add that, the limited choice of viable candidates, except of three bad tempered dinosaurs. - Battle hardened former Cheif Spin Doctor, who changed tag lately, and started turning his fire power on fomer comrades. - Last but not least, a resurgent Wanlaweyn FGS headed by new genaration of Qurbajoog youth. Suldaanka took the helmet of Saalax, and Oodwayne is the backup army with those big hitting dusty essays :-) Sxb waa Caytamaysa... ma aniga ayaa garanwaaga Saalax igu mataashay? Hadii Saalax maanta yidhaah hal qof oo reer Somaliland ah oo reer SOL ah ayaa yaqaana, xaal ayaan bixinaya. Kolkan darsay anigu Saalax waa from Pirateland. Nin reer Somaliland oo is qariya anigu ma aqaan.

MMA, This is not about Somaliland, there are other topics on this site that you can happily share your opinion about Somaliland. This thread is about Farmaajo's sinking boat. So going back to the topic, I don't care who the dude is, I don't know him but I happen to agree on what he wrote in that post. You do not necessary have to like the guy, but you must respect the opinion. The list he provided include some damning hard hitting points.

Khilaaf soo kala dhaxgalay madaxda dowlad gobolleedka Puntland Waxaa soo ifbaxaya khilaaf siyaasadeed oo soo kala dhaxgalay madaxweynaha Puntland Cabdiwali Maxamed Cali Gaas iyo ku-xigeenkiisa C/xakiin Xaaji Cabdullaahi Camey. https://www.hiiraan.com/news/2017/Oct/wararka_maanta8-143125.htm

It seems reer Somalia are still not getting it. After 2 decades of civilwar, they have not learned a thing. The outcome to this issue will be yet another eye opener to so many dreamers.

Ballot papers arrived at Egal International Airport.

@Holac said: I think the real question is why is Farmaajo sitting down with Somaliland and talking about this topic? Isn't the federal government the one that should control these matters? The way Farmaajo is running the country is more than crazy. It is a win for Somaliland. Somaliland never participated in any form of conference that was tasked to reconstitute the failed Somali Republic of 1960. What you have today is a Federal Gov't in Villa Somalia which is based on agreement between Warlords of Southern Somalia. These warlords representing their clans (Southern Somalia clans) agreed to form a gov't which is based on 4.5 clan Federation. Any gov't formed based on that agreement does not represent Somaliland its people.

@Maakhiri1 said: ^^My thinking exactly, The delusional SNM boys always come up with this line, "we are better, we are more educated, the SOMALI guys from Mogadishu,are corrupted, stooges, don't have policy, we are more democratic, they don;t know what they are doing?", I would understand people isolated in SL like North Korea would buy, but would the free people who live in diaspora buy this shit! it is cult, seriously Secessionist should ask themselves,d there is a only country recognized,and has direct access to UN, and this UN agenty, ICAO , forget about Mogadishu, why would ICAO entertain non existent state? You are forgetting the ultimate reality. The skies in question are not over Mogadishu nor over the "UN" or "ICAO". These skies happen to be right above Somaliland. And ultimately, it is that reality that will be deciding factor. With China, a member of the 5 veto wielding Security Council members, still they do not control the skies of Taiwan. Taiwan manage their own skies outside of ICAO.

No body is celebrating here. The poor souls that were killed by the Kenyans deserve to be mentioned. If their so called gov't in Villa Somalia is silent on this, then it is a shame. That is the gist of this post. And more bizarrely, you and those who are happy to serve Ethiopians, wish everyone to join you at the bottom, else why you write many topics about the sad situation of QALBI DHAQAX, which was not new to us, how many hd SL handed over? how many did Puntland? Have you ever mentioned it If Somaliland was crying about "Somalinimo" and "Midnimo"... the usuals.. then yes, I would have screamed my lungs out to point to the munaafaqnimo. But, Somaliland has a clear policy on ONLF, Alshabab and other anti-peace elements. Somaliland do not claim one thing and do the opposite. But for Farmaajo to run on a ticket of "Anti-Ethiopia" and "Unity", then do a U turn. That needs to be highlighted. He needs to be held for what he said before and what he is doing now.

@Saalax said: Difference was the Dinka and the North Sudanese are different ethnic groups + different religions. There is no reason to recognize Somaliland though when it is basically just another Somali region. The overarching reality is that, under his watch South Sudan was carved out of Sudan. Now, how can someone with that kind of history even have the audacity to make a comment about keeping another country together. Tiisaba daryeele ayaa tu kale ku dara Somalidu been waa sheegta laakin ma maahmaahdo...

Omar Al Bashiir nin ku guul daraystay in Dalkiisa isku hayo, waa wax aad loola yaabo inu talo ka bixiyo dad kale iyo dal kale isku hayntiisa. Sudan was once a great country. It no longer has the same prestige or clout that it was had. Today it is a poor, under developed country. It has no diplomatic nor military prowess either in the Arab league or African Union.

This issue is an harbinger to any future talks between Hargeisa & Mogadishu. If Villa Somalia is unable to honour the agreements reached by previous Governments, then that casts a long shadow on future agreements. Which makes is it not worth it, to continue the ongoing talks.