Politics of Somaliland

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Politics of Somaliland
Emblem of Somaliland.svg
Polity type Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Constitution Constitution of Somaliland
Legislative branch
Name Parliament
Type Bicameral
Meeting placeSomaliland Parliament Place
Upper house
Name House of Elders
Presiding officer Suleiman Mohamoud Adan
Lower house
Name House of Representatives
Presiding officer Yasin Haji Mohamoud, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Executive branch
Head of State and Government
Title President
Currently Muse Bihi Abdi
Appointer Direct popular vote
Cabinet
Current cabinet Cabinet of Somaliland
HeadquartersPresidential Palace - Qasriga Madaxtooyada JSL
Ministries23
Judicial branch
Name Judiciary
Supreme Court
Chief judge Adan Haji Ali
SeatSupreme Court Building

The politics of Somaliland take place within a hybrid system of governance, which, under the Somaliland constitution, combines traditional and western institutions. The constitution separates government into an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch, each of which functions independently from the others. [1] [2]

Contents

History

For its first twelve years, Somaliland had no political parties but instead followed more traditional clan-based forms of political organization. Political parties were introduced during the presidential elections and it was hoped that the recent parliamentary elections would help to usher in a representative system without allowing representation to be overtly clan-based. [3]

Somaliland Investment Conference in London, 2011 Somaliland Investment Conference (5577474174).jpg
Somaliland Investment Conference in London, 2011

District elections then held determined which parties were allowed to contest the parliamentary and presidential elections, where a party was required to demonstrate at least twenty percent of the popular vote from four out of the six regions. This was designed to ensure that parties would not organize around ethnic lines. Three parties were selected to submit presidential candidates: the United Democratic Peoples’ Party (UDUB), Kulmiye, and the Party for Justice and Welfare (UCID). On April 14, 2003, 488,543[ citation needed ] voters participated in the presidential elections, which ran more or less smoothly. The result was a slim eighty vote controversial victory for UDUB over the Kulmiye, complicated by allegations of ballot stuffing against the incumbent UDUB. Despite calls for the Kulmiye to form a rival government, the party’s leadership did not do so, instead choosing to abide by the Supreme Court ruling that declared UDUB’s victory. Despite minor demonstrations, the transition to the presidency of Dahir Riyale Kahin proceeded peacefully. A traditional system of governance consisted of clan elders who go by titles such as sultans, guurti or akils. They usually ordered the paying of diya, which is a payment system for any grievances, or dealt in arbitration matters. [4]

System of government

The outgoing president, Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur, leaves the hall alongside newly elected President Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal. Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur is being congratulated by an elder on his decision to accept the outcome of the election and stand down peacefully after several days intense debate and negotiation. Tuur-and-Egaal.jpg
The outgoing president, Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur, leaves the hall alongside newly elected President Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal. Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur is being congratulated by an elder on his decision to accept the outcome of the election and stand down peacefully after several days intense debate and negotiation.

Somaliland has a hybrid system of governance combining traditional and western institutions. In a series of inter-clan conferences, culminating in the Borama Conference in 1993, a qabil (clan or community) system of government was constructed, which consisted of an Executive, with a President, Vice President, and legislative government; a bicameral Legislature; and an independent judiciary. [5] The traditional Somali elderates (guurti) was incorporated into the governance structure and formed the upper house, responsible for managing internal conflicts. Government became in essence a "power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's main clans," with seats in the Upper and Lower houses proportionally allocated to clans according to a pre-determined formula. In 2002, after several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland finally made the transition to multi-party democracy, with district council elections contested by six parties. [5]

Current situation

Despite setbacks in 1994 and 1996, Somaliland has managed to prosper, assisted by its trade in livestock with Saudi Arabia. According to The Economist , it is east Africa’s strongest democracy. [6]

It faces some significant problems to its continued survival. Like other Somali governments, it lacks a consistent taxation base and receives most of its support from private actors. Corruption remains a problem, women are virtually unrepresented in government, and there are growing concerns about voting patterns based on ethnic lines.

Economic development has been heavily supported by the diaspora, although lack of international recognition prevents international aid to it as a country.

International relations

In 2005 Somaliland joined the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), an international organization dedicated to the promotion of the right to self-determination. [7] The UN still says there are some boundaries Somaliland will have to cross before it is recognized. [8]

Wales

On March 1, 2006, the Welsh Assembly invited Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, the speaker of the Somaliland parliament to the opening of a new Assembly building. Mr. Abdullahi said that Somaliland sees his invitation "as a mark of recognition by the National Assembly for Wales that [Somaliland has] legitimacy." The Somali community in Wales numbers 8,000-10,000, most of whom come from Somaliland.

In December 2006 representatives of the Somaliland Parliament again attended the Welsh Assembly receiving a standing ovation from its members. Two months earlier the Assembly approved the establishment of an aid budget for Africa. These moves were approved by the UK Foreign Office and Department for International Development and are seen as an attempt by the UK to encourage and reward the authorities in its former colony while avoiding the issue of formal recognition. [9]

Executive branch

The House of Representatives in Hargeisa Somalia (Somaliland), Hargeisa, House of Representatives 1.JPG
The House of Representatives in Hargeisa
Meeting hall, House of Representatives Somalia (Somaliland), Hargeisa, House of Representatives 2.JPG
Meeting hall, House of Representatives
Main office-holders
OfficeNamePartySince
President Muse Bihi Abdi Kulmiye 13 December 2017

Legislative branch

The Parliament (Baarlamaanka) has two chambers. The House of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada) has 82 members, elected for a five-year term. The House of Elders (Golaha Guurtida) has 82 members, representing traditional leaders.

Political parties and elections

Somaliland elects on national level a head of state (the president) and a legislature. The president is elected by the people for a five-year term. The Constitution limits the number of legal political parties to three at a time. As of 2012, the three legal political parties in the country are the Peace, Unity, and Development Party, Waddani, and For Justice and Development.

Presidential elections

CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Muse Bihi Abdi Abdirahman Saylici Peace, Unity, and Development Party 305,90955.10
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Waddani 226,09240.73
Faysal Ali Warabe Abdi Ahmed Musa Abyan For Justice and Development 23,1414.17
Total555,142100.00
Valid votes555,14298.15
Invalid/blank votes10,4751.85
Total votes565,617100.00
Registered voters/turnout704,19880.32
Source: SLNEC

Parliamentary elections

Official results of the election took about a week to be announced. [10] The NEC released provisional results of five electoral districts – Garadag, Hudun, Lughaya, Salahlay and Zeila – on 2 June. [11] In those districts, Kulmiye received 24 seats, Waddani received 15, and UCID received 10. [11] The NEC warned government officials and political parties against speculating on election results while counting was still underway. [12]

On 6 June, the NEC published the final results, announcing that Waddani had received 31 seats, Kulmiye had received 30 seats, and UCID had received 21 seats. [13] In a joint statement, Waddani and UCID announced they would form a governing coalition. [13] Waddani and UCID also won a majority of seats together in the municipal elections. [13] Of the 13 female candidates, none were elected to a parliamentary seat. [13]

Somaliland Chambre des representants 2021.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Waddani 258,65837.2231New
Kulmiye Peace, Unity, and Development Party 256,52436.9130+2
Justice and Welfare Party 179,73525.86210
Total694,917100.00820
Registered voters/turnout1,065,847
Source: EC, Reuters, EC

By region

Distribution of seats and popular vote by party by region [14]
Party name Awdal Sahil Marodi Jeh Togdheer Sanaag Sool Total
Waddani Seats:53775431
Vote:37.43%28.51%37.59%43.23%37.98%30.58%37.22%
Kulmiye Seats:54844530
Vote:41.33%40.39%38.04%29.87%32.85%42.55%36.91%
UCID Seats:33543321
Vote:21.24%31.11%24.36%26.91%29.17%26.86%25.86%

Current Cabinet

A meeting of the Muse Bihi cabinet (2020) Somaliland cabinet in session.jpg
A meeting of the Muse Bihi cabinet (2020)

The Council of Ministers run the day-to-day operations of the country. The cabinet is nominated by the president and the president has the authority to nominate, reshuffle and also dismiss the ministers. Ministers are approved by the House of Representatives which is the lower house of the Parliament. The cabinet is composed of ministers, deputy ministers and also state ministers. The number of ministers in Somaliland changes from time to time, and now there is composed of the 23 Ministries, [15] as the cabinet is reshuffled. As of 1 December 2019, the cabinet consists of: [16]

NoOfficeMinisterSince
1 Ministry of Agricultural Development Ahmed Mumin Seed December 2017
2 Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Tourism Mohamoud Hassan Saad December 2019
3 Ministry of Defence Abdiqani Mohamoud Aateye March 2019
4 Ministry of Education and Science Ahmed Mohamed Diriye December 2019
5 Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs Hinda Jama Hersi December 2017
6 Ministry of Energy & Minerals Jama Mohamoud Egal December 2017
7 Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs Khalil Abdillahi Ahmed July 2010
8 Ministry of Environment and Rural Development Shukri Haji Ismail June 2013
9 Ministry of Finance Development Dr. Saad Ali Shire November 2018
10 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Essa Kayd September 2021
11 Ministry of Health Development Omar Ali Abdillahi April 2019
12 Ministry of Information, Guidance and Culture Sulayman Yusuf Ali December 2019
13 Ministry of Interior Mohamed Kahin Ahmed December 2017
14 Ministry of Investment Promotion Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud December 2017
15 Ministry of Justice Mustafe Mohamoud Ali December 2019
16 Ministry of Livestock & Fisheries Development Said Sulub Mohamed December 2019
17 Ministry of Parliamentary Relations and Constitutional Affairs Mohamed Adan Elmi December 2017
18 Ministry of Planning and National Development Hassan Mohammed Ali December 2019
19 Ministry of Public Works, Land and Housing Abdirashid Haji Duale December 2017
20 Ministry of Telecommunications and Technology Abdiweli Sheikh Abdillahi December 2019
21 Ministry of Transportation and Roads Development Abdillahi Abokor Osman December 2017
22 Ministry of Water Development Mohamed Muse Diriye December 2019
23 Ministry of Youth and Sports Yusuf Mire Mohamed December 2017

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  4. World Disasters Report retrieved 25 February 2012
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  11. 1 2 "NEC Starts to release Provisional Results of 5 electoral districts". Somaliland Standard. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  12. "NEC Warns against speculations on Somaliland election results". Somaliland Standard. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Somaliland opposition win majority in first parliamentary vote since 2005". Reuters . 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
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  15. "Gollaha Wasiiradda Somaliland oo lagu Dhawaaqay". www.garoweonline.com (in Somali). Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  16. "Somaliland Cabinet – Somaliland Official Government Website". somalilandgov.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.