Protests Erupted in Somaliland at the onset of President’s Extension Period

The right of the people in Somaliland to demonstrate peacefully is protected by the country’s constitution. Public procession does not indicate crisis brewing in the country; but rather, portrays the maturity and the growth of Somaliland democracy, although in the majority of the time, these demonstrations are the result of politicians’ skewed and inaccurate narratives.

The constitution of Somaliland defines and restricts the powers and authority of various government agencies and branches. The Somaliland House of Elders has the authority to extend the president’s and vice president’s terms if elections cannot be held because of unforeseeable as well as unexpected difficulties in logistics.

The Somaliland House of Elders resolved to extend the president’s time in office after debating the issues surrounding over the presidential election and the opening of political associations, each of which requires elections.

The current political impasse in Somaliland is between two camps: on the one hand, the political opposition parties, whose terms are set to expire in the final week of December 2022, and on the other, the current Somaliland government, which is supported by the country’s ruling party Kulmiye and the political associations attempting to become national political parties.

The tenure of the three national political parties in Somaliland comes to end on December 26, 2022.

The administration and its allies – who constitute one camp in the current political feud – place priority on the process of selecting three national political parties – whose terms will endure for the following ten years – from among the pool of political associations currently competing to win that goal.

According to the two opposition parties – Ucid and Wadani, the following argument prioritizes and provides importance to the holding of the presidential election that was scheduled for November 13, 2022.

Mohamoud Adam Jama “Galaal” – currently holds the position of Secretary for Information of WADANI National Party – one the opposition political parties in Somaliland.

In an interview with BBC Radio Africa Today, Wadani’s information secretary claimed that the opposition parties accept the legitimacy of other branches of the Somaliland government such as the House of Representatives, the House of Elders, and the Judiciary. At the same time in the same interview, he is questioning their authority as to making decisions and resolutions.

The president adopts the title of former president when he turns over the reins to someone else. It demonstrates the provocative and polarizing nature and behavior typified by the current political opposition parties in Somaliland when a president who is still in office constitutionally and still heads his administration are openly referred to as “the former president.”

It is so sad for the opposition parties to be in this precarious situation at a time when their very existence depends on the outcome of the ongoing political negotiations in the nation, when they can only rely on external mediation. It is clear that the opposition parties’ credibility has disappeared and they have lost faith in the Somaliland electorate. Make no mistake, Somaliland, unlike Somalia, has never submitted to political orders from foreign interfering interests.

 

Politicians in Somaliland are mostly devoid of principles, ideals, and a history of political success, therefore sincerity and loyalty are strange concepts to them. They essentially reduced its value to that of a job. The majority of politicians in the country are pursuing and planning to become wealthy quickly. Their concerns are never about what they can accomplish for their country but rather about their own personal interests.

Look no further than this gentleman on the show. He resorted to world media to badmouth Somaliland record for apparent personal gains