States the legislators as he urges president Silanyo to not only save the nation but leave a lasting legacy through holding Timely Free and Fair Elections
By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun- Unless free and fair elections are held on time as planned the country might crumble due to the burden the current administration has placed on the populace
And unless the constitution of Somaliland is amended the number of legislators in both houses of parliament shall remain as they stand today, that is 82 each at the Guurti and House of Representatives.
This is according to fiery Member of Parliament Abdirahman Aw Xoog during a briefing to Somalilandsun in which he also urged President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo to organize and ensure timely free and fair elections as a means of establishing a lasting legacy of his political life and subsequent presidency.
Touching on various issues pertinent to prevalent status in the country MP Aw Xoog who said that citizens are tired of the Kulmiye administration of which he accused of covert machinations geared towards securing another term extension, also pointed fingers on the ruling parry as being responsible for the deteriorating insecurity, economy stagnation, increase in poverty levels among the populace and failure to prod election laws amendment while terming the Khatumo secession as a project of the government.
Said he “ Somaliland is in an existence existential crisis and the country may fall apart if president Silanyo does not hold timely free and fair elections “adding that the nation is in disarray as social coexistence and security crumbles as armed clan militias form in the east and west of the country.
“At the same time citizens are fed up and demoralized with injustices, nepotism and hyper inflation resulting from the massive maladministration being perpetrated by senior figures in the administration thus leading to a situation where the many poor are getting poorer while the few rich became richer at an alarming rate”
This disillusion is further exacerbated by the never ending devaluation of the local currency and high taxation which has been the norm in the six years that the current administration has been in office”
Stating that the high taxation and currency devaluation is driving large numbers of citizens to poverty on a daily basis MP Xoog also argued that corruption is not only the driving force behind these maladies but more so the camouflaged increase of annual budget that has seen the central coffers claim over 100% on annual basis while its income remains as before.
“Though it could have been commendable if factual Increasing the annual national budget from $50m to over $200m within a short span of time is a political move to dupe unsuspecting citizens” said the MP adding that coupled with the devaluation the said increase especially in civil servants salaries is cosmetic since for example whoever earned 500,000sl shs during the Rayale administration which is equivalent $75 but now earns double that has less purchasing power six years later.
“To add salt to the injuries sustained by citizens the country is slowly sliding to never seen before insecurity courtesy of the lack of humane feelings of those in authority thus only remaining option is arming themselves in order to find succor as in the case in the some eastern and western regions where clan militias are now fashionable”
Says the legislators while stressing in the fact that security agencies have not been left out as internal killings within the armed forces continue without restrain while a new phenomena has emerged in which police officers on duty are being ambushed like the recent incident that saw the Sahil regional police commander lose his life from a hail of bullets fired by clan militias.
“another good example of the downward spiral of security is the ugly incident in Las Anod town that saw the Sool regional police force split into two opposing factions that fought tooth and nails against each other” said MP Aw Xoog adding that investigations reveal that this anomaly just like that within the army s caused by irrelevant orders that those they are issued to cannot stomach.
He further stressed on the fact that situations like these within the Somaliland security apparatus is being caused by the nepotistic manner in which ranks were dished out thus ending up with unqualified officers commanding more experience and skilled juniors
On the issue of the imperatives of timely elections as slated for 28th March 2017 and snippets of rumours indicating that the administration is intent on pushing for another term extension most likely about a year from 2017 the Maroodi-jeeh region member of parliament said that this was not only laughable but an impossibility.
Said he “Why would president Silanyo who is not vying for a second term want another extension since he has already secure extra two years atop his tenure that in June 2015” wondered the MP while revealing that the extension rumours indicate that the presidency was to use quest for an increase in regional representation in parliament as justification’
On the matter in which some regions agitate for an increase in the number of allocated legislators as well as amendments to the election laws MP Abdirahman Aw Xoog stated that though the want was genuine it is not only late but the constitution of Somaliland which has apportioned the current figures needs to be amended first.
On the issue of regular skirmishes between the national army and clan militias aligned to the Khatumo secession movement in Sool region the lawmaker was categorical that the administration was behind the formation of the movement thus impossible to bring to an end.
“This is a project of the Silanyo cum Kulmiye party administration considering that not only did Khatumo never exist during the president Rayale administration but was actually formed inside the country while Silanyo was at the helm.
On the elusive quest for Somaliland recognition internationally as a sovereign nation MP Aw Xoog surmised the foreign policy embarked upon by the administration as lackluster thence lacking as can be exemplified by groupings in the dark that have culminated in the establishment of a national Recognition and Somalia talks committee at the eleventh hour of his rule’
“If the Kulmiye party administration was sincere in its quest for recognition why did it not establish such a committee immediately it assumed office in mid 2010” wondered the MP while queering the essence of requesting for resumption of talks with Somalia in which Somaliland withdrew initially.
In summing up Somaliland Member of parliament Abdirahman Mohamed Jama ‘Aw Xoog’ urged president Silanyo to not only save the nation but leave a lasting legacy through holding Timely Free and Fair Elections
Abdirahman Mohamed Jama ‘Aw Xoog’ is both a legislator at the Somaliland house of representatives and senior figure of the opposition Wadani party
Copyright: Somalilandsun, 2016. www.somalilandsun.com
