Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Wardheer News
  • Opinion

Is Direct Election Possible in Somalia in 2016?

Dr. Abdurahman Baadiyow

The most popular question being asked and debated among Somalis in the media and social gatherings is what will happen in Somalia 2016? The prevailing discussion is focused on the procedures of extension or other alternatives which destabilizes free and fair election expected to take place in 2016. Proposals include total extension for the current parliament and the president or partial extension to the parliament alone and electing a new president. Another proposal posits an intermediate model that combines selection and election in each sub-clan constituencies. All these suggestions are based on one common assumption: holding direct election in Somalia in 2016, although desirable, is impractical.

Somalia voting
Elections, Somalia

Undoubtedly, the majority of Somalis are exhausted from the 4.5 power sharing model adopted in Djibouti conference held in 2000. The current 4.5 model was developed by the Somali civil-society and believed to have shifted the Somali state-building process towards the first wave of a peaceful transition. Unfortunately, the 4.5 model, intended to be used temporary as transition mechanism, persisted longer and did not precipitate the desired goal. Consequently, discussions in various forums and media outlets have expressed strong aversion against this model for its negative bearing on government institutions and political life. For that reason, today, the prevalent attitude among the general public is the desire to participate in the state building process through a democratic transformation that enables citizens to vote.

The major document that outlines democratic transformation is known by the misnomer “Vision 2016″. It was adopted by the current regime along with external stakeholders which supposedly ends when a free and fair election is held. However, because of the inadequate performance of the current regime and lack of progress in achieving major milestones of the Vision 2016, many voices began to rattle and express their concerns and hopelessness of the possibility of holding direct elections in Somalia.

Their frustration emanates from the regimes failure in completing the required tasks of the Vision 2016 that includes improving security, completing federal units, conducting census, holding referendum on the Constitution, legislating political parties, and preparing logistical and administrative settings in order to hold free and fair election. With all these shortcomings, many Somalis concluded that this regime is planning to extend its term and is not interested in holding fair and free election in 2016.

On the contrary, the regime repeatedly voices rhetorically its commitment to holding election on time and the international community concurs pretentiously without putting forward transparent stages that can lead to an election. In the recent communiqué of the consultative meeting held in Garowe, participated by President Hassan Sheikh and Regional State Presidents, affirmed holding an election in 2016. While the official statement by the government suggests that an election will happen on time, critical voices, law makers, and several published articles are precipitately discussing options available in the case where an election does not occur. Many skeptics of the regime’s inability to hold an election stem from the idea and expectation of holding similar election model exercised in Somalia before the military takeover in 1969.

This election system was based on the “first-past-the post” and district constituencies. It requires census, agreeing on district constituencies and their boundaries, distribution of parliamentary seats to the districts, provision of security and many more. In addition to that, it requires referendum on the constitution, enacting legislations, registering political parties and so on. Indeed, it is evident that an election based on this model is impractical and is not suitable for Somalia in its new democratic transformation campaign. However, our discussions should not be limited to either district-constituency-based election, extension or new form of selection process. We have to think beyond that zero-sum box and explore alternative election models implemented in other countries with similar situations. An election system that is simple, doable, unifying, suppresses divisions, promotes party politics, and fulfils aspirations of the Somali people, need to be discussed.

The Forum for Unity and Democracy (FUD) undertook an important task of exploring an alternative model conducive for holding an election in Somalia. Following an exhaustive consultation and in depth analysis with experts on electoral systems, FUD concluded that an elections in 2016 is possible and implementable through a Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system. PR is an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party. This model is applied in more than 94 countries and provides the real solution to free and fair elections in 2016 as it has the following features: it is inclusive, all votes count, simple and transparent, no population census and demarcation of districts required, ideal for women, youth and minorities, encourages coalition building, least vulnerable to security problems, reduces corruption, and accommodates Diaspora and refugee voting.

In order to fulfill our collective aspirations, we must commit ourselves in holding an election on time and agree on the election system. Subsequently, we must strategize and plan its implementation phases, putting forth all required tasks and preconditions without prejudice. In the case time is short, convinced with our progress and collective will, we can discuss the required additional timeframe to finish the election process. In that approach, we reorient ourselves towards the right direction of state-building and repudiate all procrastination efforts and extension tendencies. With the help of the international community, Somalis have the capacity to hasten this process if there is a strong will and dedication among Somali political elites.

All things considered, 25 years of state collapse is more than what Somalia can endure. The political elites should be ashamed in perpetuating irrelevant excuses and must give Somali citizens their rights to elect their leaders. In 2016, the dignity and sovereignty of Somalia will beat stake. Moreover, the international community must not be an accomplice with those putting obstacles to the peace and state-building process in Somalia. They should not reward failed leaders and corrupt system of governance. The Somali people have matured and will no longer accept dehumanizing narratives that make them different from other nations.

Dr. Abdurahman Baadiyow
Email:[email protected]

———

Dr. Baadiyow is the Chairman of the National Unity Party and deputy chairman of the Forum for Unity and Democracy, the largest political coalition in Somalia that includes more than 25 political parties, parliamentarians and prominent politicians. The chairman of the Forum is the former Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed.


We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com. WardheerNews will only consider articles sent exclusively. Please email your article today . Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of WardheerNews.

WardheerNew’s tolerance platform is engaging with diversity of opinion, political ideology and self-expression. Tolerance is a necessary ingredient for creativity and civility.Tolerance fuels tenacity and audacity.

WardheerNews waxay tixgelin gaara siinaysaa maqaaladaha sida gaarka ah loogu soo diro ee aan lagu daabicin goobo kale. Maqaalkani wuxuu ka turjumayaa aragtida Qoraaga loomana fasiran karo tan WardheerNews.

Copyright © 2024 WardheerNews, All rights reserved

5 Responses to “Is Direct Election Possible in Somalia in 2016?”


    Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'Roots_Walker_Comment' not found in /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-content/themes/roots/templates/comments.php:11 Stack trace: #0 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-includes/comment-template.php(1554): require() #1 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-content/themes/roots/templates/content-single.php(46): comments_template('/templates/comm...') #2 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-includes/template.php(772): require('/home/forge/war...') #3 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-includes/template.php(716): load_template('/home/forge/war...', false, Array) #4 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-includes/general-template.php(204): locate_template(Array, true, false, Array) #5 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-content/themes/roots/single.php(1): get_template_part('templates/conte...', 'single') #6 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-content/themes/roots/base.php(23): include('/home/forge/war...') #7 /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-includes/template-loade in /home/forge/wardheernews.com/public/wp-content/themes/roots/templates/comments.php on line 11
    WordPress › Error

    There has been a critical error on this website.

    Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.