Somalilandsun : The ruling Kulmiye Party is set to hold its 4th General Assembly in the Somiland Capital Hargeisa Come June this year
Works towards actualizing the assembly were put in motion following establishment of a 14 member preparatory Committee by the party’s national executive body the top most and authoritative organ of the ruling party.
What makes this general assembly very important is the fact that positions of the Six senior national Party leaders to handle mantle for the next five years namely chairperson, four deputies and Secretary General shall be open thence Ripe for election.
While all the six positions are important the talk in town is that of chairperson currently held by the Somaliland head of state Muse Bihi Abdi who has been facing challenges from aspirant Mahmud Abdi Hashi.
President Bihi who is not known for verbosity on personal political matters the big question is whether he intends to Vie for another term as Kulmiye party leader or he is set to exit that position thence solely concentrate on the Somaliland presidency.
Despite the fact that Mahmud Hashi has never shied away from overt pursuit of the Kulmiye party leadership “ president Bihi is unlikely to relinquish in favour of Hashi or anybody else for what teashops political pundits surmise as fears by his, Bihi, inner circle that ‘Kulmiye shall cease to exist as a national political party if the head of state exits leadership postion’ithin
On the other hand it is perceived that failure by Muse Bihi to relinquish the chairmanship then ‘Kulmiye party shall surely splinter into a number of factions leading to ultimate dissolution because its main political support block, read Mahmud Hashi’s clan, shall withdraw allegiance.
Faced with these realities and choices of which one of either shall lead what Bihi abd his inner circle fear most, the death of Kulmiye party, the solution is for him, President, relingush the chairman perch.
But perchance, if though unfathomable, as per status he does that, will he seek, democratically, another another stint as party leader thence allow other aspirants to challenge him at the ballot Box,
With he term as chairman of Kulmiye party ending at the July 2020 General assembly, the politically impulsive Muse Bihi might decide to go against his handlers and exit without seeking reelection, will he facilitate for a free and fair election of his replacement.
Now in Comes Mahmud Abdi Hashi a foundi g member of the party and long term trusted lieutenant of Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo the immidiate past president of Somaliland whom he, Hashi, also served as powerful cabinet minister.
Since day one of Muse Bihi ascending to the Somaliland presidency over two years ago Mahmud Hashi has never hidden both covertly and overtly his ambitions for the carteblanche Kulmiye party leadership, thus accumulating the ire of President Bihi.
For Mahmud Hashi neither the ire of Muse Bihi nor party splinter can deter him from the Kulmiye helm, since the incumbent should utilise the mechanisms that led to him taking over from Silanyo less than six after he, Silanyo, assumed the Somaliland presidency in 2010.
According to local folklore Silanyo handed over to Bihi courtesy of an unwritten MOU whose stipulations were that if Silanyo is elected president then he will relinquish Kulmiye leadership to Muse Bihi. Be it folklore or not the transfer party power was implemented.
Though Kulmiye is presumably a national political party it is actually the preserve of two clan support base, Bihi’s and Silanyo’s thence the chagrin of Mahmud Hashi a clan nephew of the immidiate past president with the incumbent for refusal to observe the same MOU he utilized for ascension to his chairmanship.
With Bihi seemingly blind and deaf to the MOU nor constant reminders, Mahmud Hashi similarly became deaf and blind to the Bihi IRE, thence took his clamour to the rooftops in various European cities from where he made scathing attacks if his justification while accumulating large ammohbts in donations from his supporters.
Without any doubt many have sympathy for Mahmud Hashi but his abrasive and clan oriented policy during his heights as most powerful minister under president Silanyo alienates many in the ruling party who are not from his clan.
That said and as matters stand within the Kulmiye corridors of power there is no position open in any level of party leadership for Mahmud Hashi if the 4th general assembly preparatory Committee composed of persons who have been very vocal in opposition to Hashi’s quest to replace Muse Bihi which translates to next Presidential candidate.
But to Muse Bihi and his inner circle you surely remember the campaign pledge of ‘I will neither seek a second Presidential term nor extend my tenure by even one day’
This are many ifs, buts, maybes and maybes not whose answers shall be availed Come the 4th party General assembly if it Actualizes with smooth and Cool runnings as envisaged and slated.
Ina Hashi is a suspect person, they all are, but him in perticaluar, when he lived in birmingham he didnt have two pennies to rub together, he became a minister, and now he owns houses in the most afluant areas of the city, has big houses in hargesa and is stays in the most expesive hotels,
so do we need politicians who are only in it to aliegn their pockets, flying across europe to garner support of so he could sit on thr throne, at hes age now, he should be looking to the twighlight years of his life to be relaxing and resting, not going after a seat which no one is voting you for. would he forfit his british pasport for the sake of hes somaliland pasport, would he sell he’s expesive houses for the sake of somaliland, or does he see somaliland as a cash cow for him and hes family.