Somaliland: Restraining The Excesses Of The House Of Elders
By:Mohammed Dahir Ahmed
The founding members of Somaliland house of elders were the once built the peace and stability of the state but the present members of the house are their sons whom have inherited their fathers posts and are not close or in a parallel with their father’s patriotism.
The current members of the house of elders are treacherous sycophants whom all the time make their interest first and make the national interest in a far-off place. Some powerful ministries and members of the house became so close to collude for their simple individual political interest in the expense of the nationwide national interest, in essence this is fascism according to former US president Franklin D.Roosevelt.
“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerated the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Somaliland’s Supreme Court has ruled last year that Presidential polls should be conducted on 28th of March 2017. The court ruling could be amended only through legal avenues but not by the collusion of some cabinet members and members of the house of elders.
Any poll delay should be based on the drought but not irrational political extensions. The two opposition parties has suggested a poll delay of around six months, but the question is how the Supreme court ruling could be amended and at the same time the excesses of the House of elders is restrained, which sees in their benefit the more the Poll delay period is. Any Period of Presidential poll delay results Simultaneous additional term extension for the House of elders, which is a total conflict of interest. Somaliland House of elder’s election is over 20 years overdue, which makes distrustful their say on Presidential poll issues.
Somaliland election stakeholders should take their role as far as ensuring the Presidential polls to take place as scheduled or any drought induced delay is reasonable and acceptable.
By:Mohammed Dahir Ahmed,
Hargeisa, Somaliland