Kulmiye is No-Man’s Party or Property of A tribe But the Question is Who Call The Shots in the Ruling Party?
By Abdirahman Mohamed Dirye
The age of routinization of tribalism has begun. Democracy is undermined when a group hostile to the free press came in the office, tribal conferences replaced party conventions not just awhile but forever, in fact, since the President Ahmed Silanyo inaugurated his way-to-power Gar-adag Congress aka Sodom and Gomorrah followed by Dan iyo Duco Gathering in Sahil, , Hoodaale one, Daallo Assembly in Sanaag, and Buli Gubadle , there’ s no Party Conventions whatsoever because there’s no need to, but Somaliland public has been hearing on and off tribal meetings on Kulmiye presidential candidates whose celebrations were held in the big hotels in the country unashamedly; people ask themselves who call the shots in the Kulmiye Party the proponent tribes or the president or the chairman or anyone who bankrolled in its opposition days or all combined or none?
Unable to offer any nationally satisfying policies, Kulmiye party turned to bribe elites and dissidents with money and sometimes with fake ministerial positions. SOLJA, Journalists’ society and SONYO Youth Forum once used to be civil society, has been changed into ministries directly run from presidency thus needless to get funding from donors as their allocation was included in the overall national budget.
Elders from Agabar led by the grand Sultan has made emergency meeting this month to defuse growing tensions that may divide their fellow governed folks , the grand Sultan along with his jury passed the judgment from their tribe’s viewpoint: if any of the stalking horses has the support of the tribe, it’s Muse Bihi the chairman of the party. Then, the next day, Sheikh Samale unfastened his thick bag of 200,000 USD to lubricate the hands of 4000 riffraff forcing them dancing in his support and rejecting their tribe’s jury’s final verdict. Here comes the unanswered question again: is the party decentralized itself therefore exercising democratic rights, a hallmark of the party’s understanding of the democracy or the president came to the conclusion that the three cousins are fighting over dead body that’s no longer usable? Whatever the case, it practically shows that the tribalism has been routinized and institutionalized rather than being a taboo in the past.
Interestingly enough, Boqor Buur Madow, ex-dissident-turned-President’s lovely supporter who once knocked the president off the pedestal by saying the president isn’t in control of his government because he’s in his second childhood begun to condemn the “misuse” of public funds involve in by Sheikh Samale day in and day out. “When he came to us he had two sleeveless shirts but now he spends like crazy!” but what does he mean us (his tribe or his tribal party or both).
But the irony is that Muse Bihi’s welcome of his grand Sultan’s verdict which was evidently clannish court’s judgment on political overriding issues affecting the fate of the entire country and yet his denouncing refusal on parliamentary election candidates nominated by chieftains, an illustration of incoherent, contradicting policies of the ruling party. It reminds me of Ali Guray the politician of UCID party who elaborated their illogicality “ always what we say is legal even if it’s outlaw but serves our interest but illegal if it’s opposes our interest even if it’s lawful” they failed to uphold the rule of law.
From giving both insignificant and multi-million dollar contracts on clannish affiliation is manifestation of political failures of the ruling party which in return may endanger the country to fall apart at the seams. The Troika driving the tandem in opposite direction will soon end Somaliland.
As tribe’s might is growing so fast the tribalism is so fashionably enticing to many mobs thereby jeopardizing the governmental institution. In this particular time, Somaliland “identity” has been hollowed out “ I only pretend to be Somalilander when I am with mixed mates and in 18 May Day, I am truly Gar-adag in heart, surely, without it my life would completely different” one stated proudly. Boqor Buur Madow proved his point when he said “when he came to us, referring to their tribal party.” ““No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other”. But Somaliland sitting government chose to serve their master, their Gar-adag whose way they came to State House.
