Somaliland: The leadership of KULMIYE has the choice: power-sharing & co-existence OR power-struggle & destruction.

The dispute and infighting that is being waged inside the premises of KULMIYE Party is not new to our society, but rampant to the political culture of Somaliland, The fate of UDUB Party is the latest witness to our immaturity as far as good governance, transparency and prevention of potential conflict are concerned. However, after some 20 years of active political life, we were expected to have learned from our mistakes. In particular, Mr. Silanyo and Mr. Bihi are supposed to have learned from their quarter of a century old conflict, since the SNM days – way back in 1983 ? at least the hard way.

The repercussions of the current conflict are not the real causes of the dispute but rather the symptoms of the actual stickiness, which continues to plague the tissues of Kulmiye and all our political parties for that matter. The current situation of Kulmiye signifies the beginning of the roadmap towards what I call ?Udubization?. The first step of this self-destruction and this unconstitutional behavior was initiated by the group who elected the chair of the General Assembly Preparatory Community at the home of one of the party supporters. This development was illegal by any standard and should be repealed as soon as possible. The second illegal and out of context development was the initative of the Vise President of SL who held a formal party meeting in his own home without any regard of the opinion and consent of the leadership of the party. The vise president did not even bolder to call the meeting reconciliatory informal gathering. The third and most disastrous and unforgivable error was the announcement made by the President Silanyo wherein he declared the postponement of the party general assembly – unilaterally and obviously without  adequate consultation with the concerned party leaders. It would appear, the president forgot or rather ignored the reality that he is the leader of the Nation´s executive wing, but no longer chief of Kulmiye Party. Most unfortunately, Mr. Waabeeyo had struck the last nail on the coffin of the party by openly supporting the president?s unguided breach of the party internal regulations, and without any consultation with his two superiors at the party hierarchy. The scene resembles the operations of a typical fish market and Mr. Wabeeyo has literally delivered the largest shipment of rotten sardine, and thereby added wetness to the mud (زاد الطين بالة). Mr. Wabeeyo (the Poisonous) has indeed injected lethal Vernon to the party?s weak and feverish body.

It is interesting notice that all the above provocative moves were being committed by one side of the conflict. The other group which is evidently led by the chairman Muse is until now at the receiving end and obviously appeasing the other group. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that if this course of action is allowed to follow its current trend, all we expect is the defragmentation of the party cadre and its leadership in the same manner that UDUB had come to its demise.

In an attempt to contribute to the diffusion of the time bomb that is clinking at the door of Kulmiye, and to find a third route to safety and co-existence, I would recommend the following reconciliatory points that I believe would constitute middle of the road solution and a win-win scenario for all players.

 A) The incumbent President should be given the chance to stand for re-election in the upcoming elections, as a sitting president.

B) However, this should be accompanied by the nomination of the current Chairman as second presidential-nomine of Kulmiye. It should be made clear that Mr. Bihi is the deputy presidential-nominee before and after the upcoming presidential elections.

C) The party?s internal bylaws should be revised to setup more standardized procedures that would govern and regulate party affairs in a more transparent and tightly knitted manner. The new laws should explicitly stated the actions that are not acceptable from the party leadership and also should clearly define the punishment posed on any person who commits such unlawfully actions, no matter who they are.

D) All the actions that were unilaterally taken in controversy of the party regulations should be repealed. The party leadership should open any new page. The situation reminds me of verses of a poem uttered of the Late Tima-caddeh as a warning to the military leadership right after the coup in 1969: ?? Wadadaa aan soo Jiidhay haddii laga ghabayn waayo, Dhutis Xaalku Kama Baaqsadee, Ghuuxa Hadalkayga?.

Finally, as I was writing this note, the Chairman of the party appears on the NationalTV . The statement that he delivered was a blend of reconciliation note directed at the President, though cautious and uncompromising , plus a diplomatic note aimed at none party audience, and at last a camouflaged warning aimed at the culprits and hypocrites within the ranks of the party of an upcoming punishment that will bring them to their knees in accordance with the constitution of the party.  Mr. bihi has indeed clearly demonstrated that he is up to the situation and  that the party is in safe hands.

Hassan Abdi Yousuf

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia