In Somaliland, a Novel Approach to Political Lobbying Scores First Win

Somaliland president – Muse Bihi Abdi, on Wednesday in last week issued a decree asking the Houses of Parliament (Representatives and the Senate) to align the proposals by the Clan Chieftains as to the dispute regarding the holding of elections with the country’s election laws.

The Ad Hoc Committee of Elders proposed the consolidation of elections – the one for the political associations scheduled for November 2023 and presidential election slated for November 2024, to be held together on November 13, 2024.

Unfortunately, Somaliland’s House of Representatives today approved by a majority vote that presidential degree issued last week.

The session of the House of Representatives – chaired by the Speaker Yasin Mohamoud Hiir (Faratoon) – was attended by 48 MPs out of 82 members of the House. Following the chairman’s instructions, the House Representatives raised their hands to vote on the motion. Of the 48 present in the session, 45 raised their hands, two abstained, and the chairman did not cast a ballot.

The Regulative branches are supposed to make revisions and amendments to the electoral laws of the nation in a manner blending them with the ideas set forward by the clan chiefs of the Eastern portion of Burao.

The essence of the upcoming elections is that the three political parties mandated in Somaliland will be up for grabs between the newly formed political associations vying to become national political parties for the next ten years and the national parties that already exist, UCID, Wadani, and Kulmiye, whose terms are exhausted. What’s more, candidates from UCID, Wadani and Kulmiye alone will contend in the presidential election.

Prior to the recommendations of the Clan Chieftains, the Somaliland government and its ruling Kulmiye party vehemently opposed unifying the elections and prioritizing the presidential election. They argued that the election of political associations would come first, as required by law, while UCID and Wadani fiercely reject that argument.

The leadership of the opposition parties like UCID and political associations welcomed propositions of the elders on Monday this week, while some other political associations publicly despised it like Hilaal and still some others maintained silence on the topic in discussion.

The current Somaliland administration has consistently fought attempts by the chiefs of the tribes to have a significant influence and meddle with the government with an iron gate, which has brought accolades to the administration. But lately, it appears to have changed its attitude toward paying attention to clan elders’ advice.

In Somaliland, clans are the traditional social and, more recently, political units. They are important in many facets of life. Clan elders have a lot of sway over their members and are frequently regarded as the clans’ rightful leaders.

The political participation of clan chieftains poses a serious threat to Somaliland’s democracy. Clan chieftains frequently utilize their power to further the interests of their own clan when they get engaged in politics, even if it means harming the interests of other clans or the nation as a whole. Political instability and nepotism may result from this.

By bolstering the rule of law and ensuring that all citizens have access to justice, the problem of clan chieftain involvement in politics may be avoided.