Somalilandsun- The recurrent rescheduling of elections and attendant political discontent in Somaliland is as a result of incumbency of current National Elections Commission-NEC Commissioners.
That being so opposition political parties of Wadani and UCID have in concert called upon the commissioners to do the needful for the national good and resign.
The urging by the two opposition political parties were made by
Senior Wadani party member Hirsi Hajji Ali in Hargeisa where he also said that the way forward in the now deteriorating Somaliland democratization process is immediate parliamentary and local council’s elections.
“For the national good of Somaliland we call upon the sitting national elections commissioners to voluntarily resign thence break the deadlock of delayed elections in the country” Said Hirsi Haji Ali a former minister in the immediate past administration of president Silanyo as well as a former NEC commissioner.
On behalf of the Somaliland citizens I also urge President Muse Bihi to be true to his promise of implementing agreements reached by the elder’s reconciliation committee, since his refusal appears to be in revenge for some ills he perceives to have been done him in the past, added the Wadani party functionary.
The sentiments were in relation to agreements reached by president Bihi and political parties to disband the current NEC and reinstate the immediate past one as per outcome of mediation efforts by Elders reconciliation committee.
So far the president who promised to adhere to the elders’ recommendations by the 10th January 2020 has failed to do so citing lack of constitutional stipulations for such a process, though in actually facts according to Hirsi is a determination to take revenge against his political nemesis.
The recommendations to disband the current NEC and reinstate the former one made by the political and elections impasse mediation composed of traditional elders has been hailed by the international community with a stake in the Somaliland democratization process as apt and the only way out of the deadlock.
But according to the administration this is impossible because there are no legal avenues put in place yet to disband a constitutional body whose term is yet to expire.
The ongoing political crisis that grips today is as a result of parliamentary and local council elections being postponed for the umpteenth time this time till 2023.
But according to Hirsi Haji Ali speaking on behalf of the two opposition political parties of Wadani and UCID, the president having refused to act on elders’ recommendation, the commissioners themselves need to be nationalists and voluntarily resign.
Speaking directly to the commissioners the opposition politician said, “the honourable thing to do right now is for you to resign en=masse for the good of Somaliland”
Giving himself as an example Hirsi Haji Ali said that having served as a NEC deputy chairman for two years, 2007-2008, I resigned to deter controversies similar to current ones, and today I hold my head high not to mention respect from ordinary Somalilanders.
Thanking the elders mediation committee for their efforts Hirsi Haji Ali said that the entire nation holds them in esteem though they expect more pursuit towards breaking the elections bottleneck, while promising opposition parties adherence to all recommendations they make now and in the future for all are geared towards a better country for all.
In conclusion the Wadani party functionary directed his remarks to president Bihi “You are now the head of state thence you cannot lead with impartiality while at the same time you are in quest of revenge towards your current and past political nemesis.”
For months, political parties have been embroiled in a scuffle over the current commission, with the opposition accusing the government of imposing their “loyalists” for rigging purpose.
Wadani party, which has been the most vocal, had withdrawn her representatives from the commission, accusing President Muse Bihi Abdi of ‘opaqueness and dishonesty’.
So unless some mutually acceptable agreements are reached thence polls in 2020 the internationally acclaimed Somaliland democratization process shall be complete tainted not to mention possibilities of throwing the country into turmoil.
