Kulmiye’s Crisis and the Democracy in Somaliland

[Jacaylbaro]

If Kulmiye does not put his house in order and come up with an agreed Vice President for the forthcoming presidential election, democratic process in Somaliland will suffer a huge damage.

 

The current crisis of Kulmiye has mainly originated from the leadership contest in Burao party conference, but not entirely from the conference. The election of the Presidential candidate was finally agreed to be Silanyo after a rough ride.

 

The problem of electing the Vice Presidential candidate plunged the party into unprecedented crisis, resulting that the party has split in the middle. There were three candidates for the Vice Presidential candidacy, Abdirahman Sayli’i, Abdirahman Aw Ali Farah, both from Awdal Region and Ahmed H. Ali Adami from Sanaag Region.

 

It was clear from the beginning whom was Siilanyo’s favorite among the three contesters and it was Abdirahman Sayli’i. Why Silanyo preferred Abdirahman Sayli’i seemed based on analysis touching different aspects, but the main one was that Silanyo clearly and honestly stated that it is Abdirahman Sayli’i that he can work comfortably with, and this is correct in the ethical and leadership rules in any organizational.

 

The other two candidates did not accept that and immediately organized their own group within the party to challenge this outcome. Their main argument was that the Burao conference was undemocratic particularly the way in which the Vice Presidential candidate was elected.

 

After these events, the situation within Kulmiye became an open Pandora Box where “political marketers” trade in and made their political playground. There were several mediations from different walks of life of the community, including the other two political parties, UCID and UDUB.

 

I am a concerned Somalilander who feels uncomfortable how recent events in Kulmiye‘s party have been developing, because I feel this is damaging the national interest. There is no profit or benefit for anyone for Kulmiye party’s crisis. It is in the interest of the country that the dispute in Kulmiye has to be settled sooner.

 

Having said this, I would like to contribute this debate with the following observations:

 

Democracy in Somaliland and its process

 

Those who are well familiar with the Somaliland democratic process perfectly know that we are not still democrats, but we are trying to build a democratic society. The way we go about this has been, and still is, by using mixture of clan, Islamic and limited democratic methodologies to choose our leaders and to settle our conflicts, and we call these democratic actions, though it is far from democracy.

 

In connection to this, the argument that Abdirahman Aw Ali and his supporters saying that Burao Kulmiye conference were not democratic loses its validity and credibility in Somaliland political context.

 

I can quote one main event, during the election of the parliamentary speakers. The Guurti realized the political system of the country tilts decisively to the ruling party, UDUB if the speakers of the parliament also went to the ruling party. The Guurti settled with the well-known formula, by allowing the opposition parties to have had the speaker and its two deputies (Shir-gudoonka).

 

That day I remember by asking the wise man of the Guurti, H. Abdirkarin (Abdi Warabe) what legal basis of this compromise was based. He said to me, “We did not refer too much on legal basis, but we refer to the political wisdom “xikma” of Somaliland. Because we thought if “shir-gudoonka” also goes to the ruling party, the government will have too much power.” (Xisbu xaakimku haday taa ku darsadaan waxay helayaan doobi buuxa, qolada mucaaridka ahina doobi madhan, markaa taasi nalama aha wax wanaagsan.)

 

History of Kulmiye Party

 

If I may go back for a moment to the history of Kulmiye Party, during the Presidential election in 2003, Abdirahman Aw Ali was a member of the Asad Political Organization headed by Suleiman Mohamoud Adem, the current chairman of the Guurti. In Kulmiye at that time, there were four candidates, all from Awdal Region who were competing for the candidacy of the Vice President., including my self For instance, in my case; I was well-prepared for the post. I had just finished my PhD in Political Science from London University (SOAS and LSC) with a professional working experience and political background and being an active supporter of the SNM struggle.

 

I met Silanyo as soon as he left form Siad Barre’s regime and before he joined the SNM leadership in Addis Ababa. I was Student at London University and a coordinator of a lobbing Group consisting of students and Somali Diaspora in London against the military regime of Siad Barre. We welcomed Silanyo to our group and we gave him a full support in his opposition activities in London. I personally organized for him several lectures in London University (SOAS) where he spoke and explained the atrocities of the regime of Siad Barre. I went with him to Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool for lobbying and support.

 

After almost a decade, I met Silanyo again for a lunch in London before he established the Kulmiye Party and we had one-to-one lively discussion about the political situation in our country. The Somaliland Diaspora particularly those living in London encouraged me to join Kulmiye Party and give Siilanyo the political and media support and experience that he and the party needed. I came to Hargeisa and joined the party.

 

Abdi Mohamoud (Gaagaale), now an MP was also among the other three Awdal candidates. Abdi Mohamoud played an important role in the peace making processes in Somaliland particularly in the Awdal region. At that time he was living in the United States, but he came back because of assurance from Kulmiye leadership that he will be selected to be the Vice Presidential candidate. The two others were Abdi Hassan Buni, an elderly statesman and Dr Mohamed Hadi, a professional medical doctor.

 

To our surprise and maybe to the surprise of the Somaliland political history, Abdirahman Aw Ali mysteriously entered the party from the back door in the last few days before the election date and before our eyes open, Abdirahman Aw Ali was hastily declared the winner as the Vice Presidential candidate of the party.

 

In my analysis abandoning of the other contesters and the sudden switch of bringing Abdirahman Aw Ali from the back door caused Kulmiye and its leader Silanyo not to win the 2003 Presidential election. This episode left with Silanyo and the Kulmiye party with uncomfortable historical memorial reflections.

 

In my case, I swallowed my pride, walked out from the party and hoped a good luck

[N.O.R.F]

JB, UDUB are using you guys baryahan

 

I will start writing my own pieces about UDUB and post them here

 

Maybe when its nearer the elections,,,,

[AfricaOwn]

That party is just power hungry. Just look at what's going on within their on party...The best decision UDUB can do is to toss them the bone. Let them win the elections for the sake of people.

 

I never liked what Kulmiye as a party was all about. They have too many people following them for no reason at all.

[N.O.R.F]

^^They won the last election and should be in power already. Short memory?

[Ace of Spadez]

Norf Kulmiye haduu helo madaxtooyada maxaa is badalaya?

[AfricaOwn]

^^^

 

Excellent question.

[Suldaanka]

Ace,

Somaliland needs a change, that is obviously clear to anyone that cares about the country.

 

I personally believe that we can do a lot better and develop a lot faster than we have done in the past 6 years since Dahir Riyaale came to office.

 

UDUB regime wants to maintain the status-quo in Somaliland has done very little to dramatically change in order to fast track development and encourage confidence both domestically and externally for the betterment of the country. In other words, they have not taken advantage of a lot of things including external support which is available if the necessary steps is taken. No one will come to and spoonfeed you, unless you walk the walk and talk the talk. UDUB had not pushed for SL's case stronger as many in Somaliland would like to see. UDUB had not fixed a thing in relation to any aspect of governance in Somaliland.

 

UDUB is there to keep the peace and to pocket the hard-earned money they collect as part of the taxations. Which is an unexceptable to anyone. Keeping peace is one thing, but what about the rest?

 

The change we need to today is one which we want to dramatically change the current course of "in-action" and "slow-paced" development. We want openness and accountability in our governance. Caasha the tamatoe seller in Suuqa hargeysa should know if she required, where the 10 dollars she paid went and to what use.

 

We want our justice system to work independently. We want to get rid of the Siyad Barre panel-code which this UDUB government relies on when it comes to extra-judicial imprisonments of jouralists, political leaders, traditional leaders and the average citizen.

 

I am sure all that can not be achieved overnight but a process which leads to fixing these problems is always better than keeping the "status-quo" as UDUB is famous for.

 

And by the way, Dr. Mohamed Rashiid is one of my favourite academics. I hope he stays as an academic and not join the politics.

[Ace of Spadez]

Suldaanka Salaan Sare,

 

Don't mistake me for AfricaOwn. I don't believe UDUB is an option. I just don't see what all the jubilation about Kulmiye is. Yes we need change as you stated. However, will we really get the change we want or will we only get a different party and a different leader at the helm of the government? I'm not at all convinced the strides we need to make will come at the hands of Kulmiye. Just look at their recent convention. They called it democratic yet no one challanged Siilanyo. That sound alot like Ismail Omar Gheele of Djibouti to me. I just don't see where all this fervent adoration comes from? Granted Kulmiye is the best of the worst. The other two parties are even worse. In that regard, I could understand some one holding their nose and choosing Kulmiye. What I don't understand is this ululating that suggests if Kulmiye controls the government its going to rain daimonds in Somaliland. Lets face it, there are many similarities between Kulmiye's constitution and Somaliland's constitution. Power is concentrated in the hands of the Chairman of Kulmiye just as power is concentrated in the hands of the President of the government. The real change we want is system wide, instutions wide, party wide. Unfortunately, the way it looks like all we will get if Kulmiye wins is an incompetent dictator (Dahir Riyale) will be replaced by a competent dictator (Silanyo). From where I stand, that is nothing to cheerlead for.

[NGONGE]

^^ Half want change for change's sake and the other half view Siilaanyo as the Somaliland version of Obama! Both will be disappointed in due time. The first group for depending on a dark future and the second group for assuming that one man can change everything.

 

Still, and to return to the article. The author there badly failed to hide how bitter he is and left his article looking like yet another emotional rant. For a politics expert he really didn't tell us anything at all. Well, apart from the vice persidential issue. Even there though, I'm not sure if he was aware of the message he gave. The way I saw it, it seems the real fight here is in choosing another Riyaale. No, it's not what you think. I'm talking about Siilaanyo doing a Cigaal and leaving the coast clear for another Riyaale to come out of the shadows. Or else, why would an entire party pay too much attention to such a trivial position?

[Ace of Spadez]

^^ I doubt it. Dadkan jibaysan will be singing viva Kulmiye like JB and AfricaOwn are waving the UDUB Flag at a time even career card carrying memebers of UDUB have toned it down lest we forget what happened with Talaabo. ;)I just find it odd after all these years people are still prone to doing Guulwadeyn. lol

 

As for the the next Riyale lol I think Saylici is a way better choice than Axmed Yuusuf Yasiin if it came down to that. Axmed Yuusuf Yasiin reminds me of Dan Quayle and in many ways Sarah Palin