{jcomments on}As Ministers Behi and Samale publicly declare loyalty to President Silanyo and support for his second presidential bid
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Two senior government ministers have denied their alleged quest for the Somaliland presidency on a ruling Kulmiye party ticket.
The ministers Mohamed Behi Younis of Foreign Affairs and Abdiaziz Samale made the denial during a luncheon they hosted for their clansmen at Guleid Hotel in Hargeisa.
Echoing each other during speeches to their hundreds of guests the ministers who categorically denied gunning for the country’s top seat but publicly confessed of their unequivocal loyalty to their boss President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo and his administration but support for his second re-election bid as well.
Conspicuously absent from the luncheon was fellow clansman and chairperson of the Somaliland ruling party Muse Behi.
Rumours circulated by various local media houses, rife past two days, had it that the foreign minister Behi Younis, Finance minister A Samale and Kulmiye party Mohamed Behi were jostling for nomination as party candidate in presidential elections slated for mid-2015.
The intent of the three senior figures in current government and ruling party, had perplexed Citizens across the political spectrum since the three were not only from the same sub clan but more importantly because president Silanyo has already and on several occasions declared his candidature in the forthcoming mid 2015 presidential and parliamentary slated polls.
While the Foreign Minister Mohamed Behi Younis also informed that his
leadership agenda is devoid of presidential ambitions now or in the future and Samale of Finance revealing that he is in the race to replace Silanyo on his retirement, the alleged designs of Muse Behi the party chair seemingly ambiguous to the common man, is in a way validation of stance divulged in mid 2014.
Though Kulmiye chief was absent at the luncheon courtesy of non-invitation he is on a similar record stating his support for a 2nd Silanyo re-election bid.
The Muse Behi quest is publicly known, before now circulating rumours, to have been intended for after the 2015 elections made following a protracted Kulmiye party power struggle mid this year.
Behi who had announced intent to challenge sitting Somaliland president on the ruling party’s ticket withdrew his quest and subsequent declaration of full support to the Silanyo 2nd bid after interventions by members of the Guurti, Somaliland’s upper Chamber of parliament led by Elder Abdi Warabe
Hopefully the schemes to undermine President Silanyo from within his party ranks shall cease for sure and finally thence allow him space to concentrate on his two opponents from UCID and Wadani opposition parties Messrs Jamal Ali Hussein and Abdirahman Mohamed Irro respectively during the 2015 planned elections .
Somali speakers can watch the two ministers make disclosures on their political futures
Watch Statement by Finance minister Samale and
