By Abdirahman Mohamed Dirye
On February 6, 2015, Boqor Buur Madaw, but “self-styled tribal” official spokesman for the government said “we let the world know that we the ‘ruling’ tribe has annulled next July Elections mid this year after meeting in Gar-adag”. Are Parties replaced with tribes after president came in office? Where are Ukuse, Dhuxul?. How was that ‘undemocratic’ decision made? Overriding national parties, one tribe can’t solely decide the fate of the nation! “The president postponing the next election indefinitely is a grave mistake!” Wadani party said, “This is the end of the entire Democratic process”.
The president asked Mr Madow to speak for the motion, while the international community met their pledge for election funds. Somaliland National Election Commission (NEC), an internationally funded institution in charge of independent and timely elections, who agreed with donors holding free and fair one in the next July so far kept silent on this detrimental decision to the country’s progress.
For the notorious “Stone-Placement” policy, a false start of inauguration of projects the government supposedly to start immediately, but nowhere to be seen afterwards, and the likewise the government’s constant bragging of building roads of which are nowhere to be seen either. The president’s party descended into lowest approval ratings.
Difference between Tribalism and multiparty politics became more blurry now than ever before. Whenever the government wants to enact , there’re a plenty of stooges to choose from.
Nevertheless, so far the damage to annul the elections has done to Somaliland is quite immense.
Mr Madaw dared to say what everyone else refused to say: “we are taken the law by our hands and declared elections are postponed indefinitely after we met in Gar-adag”.
If that’s the case. Why the EU does spend its taxpayers monies on NEC and other vital organizations to empower while the sole and final decision rests on a tribal leader Madaw?
Elections and free press, both anachronistic, weren’t meant just to secure global recognition but to unmoor us from the shackles of tribalism that favors the immorally yes-men while democracy and elections put forth the decent guys for the highest job.
Somaliland chose the path to democracy, rule of the law, and free press. National elections used to transcend domestic bipartisan policies. But a sense of “elections skepticism” has kicked in. to some of us, if elections can be postponed indefinitely, entire Somaliland mission can be replaced easily.
To many folks, annulling elections is to Somaliland’s demise. It looks like a failed state. But would the EU reconsider their aid to Somaliland to keep it on track , ask it to withdraw the insanity ,and to apologize not through Sodom’s official spokesman but Bihi of the foreign ministry whose role seem marginalized.
Mr Dirye is Somaliland Activist and Political Commentator. Dirye@democracychronicles.com
