HARGEISA, 28 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) – Somaliland’s UCID party appointed Fadumo Ali Madar to be the party’s secretary of foreign affairs. UCID also appointed Zaynab Muhammad Omar as the chairman of the women’s section of UCID party’s London branch. The appointments were announced by the party in a press release dated on Nov 15, 2009.
Some of Somaliland’s women leaders have recently expressed disappointment with the lack of women in the upper echelons of the government and the three political parties. The biggest culprit in this regard is the ruling party which has instituted an unwritten, rigid, quota system that divides ministerial positions according to clans to the point that if a ministerial is vacated for some reason, it is filled with a male from the same sub-clan as the minister who vacated the position.
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This system has resulted in the virtual exclusion of women from top government jobs. President Dahir Rayale Kahin even objected to the only female nominee to the electoral commission and forced her to withdraw her candidacy whereby she was replaced by a male.
UCID’S nomination of two women leaders is a positive step in the direction of women assuming leadership positions in Somaliland’s politics.
UCID celebrated this week the eight anniversary since its establishment. The celebration took place at Hargeysa’s Imperial hotel, and was attended by political leaders, sultans, intellectuals and other distinguished guests. During the celebrations, UCID presented its development program for Somaliland for the next 10 years.
Source: Somaliland Times
I think UCID has some good values and it's objective has always been to promote democracy in Somaliland where as the other two parties (UBUB and Kulmiye) are only there for power and money, none of them have clear objective nor do they care about anyone except themselves.
I am no UCID supporter however clearly they have demonstrated each time to safe our democracy every time the other two are on each other's throats.
Most people see UDUB as Hargeisa party, and Kulmiye as Burao party, but UCID? It's national party but clearly our people are more loyal to towns and tribe leagents than nationalism this why UCID isnt a popular party.
true said the people of somaliland maintain their tribal loyalties in a positive way that allowed them to accomplish peace, eventually they move to a more nationalistic attitude and move over tribal quotas, UCID would be more successful in the years to come with more focused and experienced leadership.
As a male, I believe that if Somali women took over the top positions of government, Somaliland would be a much better place than it is in now.
Why is it that a few years ago, our dictator Riyaale kicked out Edna Adan, a well educated, well spoken, articulate and a patriotic Somalilander, out of government from her postition as Foreign minister and replaced her with an incompetent, money grabbing, and from what I have heard, unpatriotic buffoon called Duale. When she was a foreign minister, foreign statesmen were interested in Somaliland and felt positive about seeing a woman in a powerful position in a 100% Muslim African state. I believe if she was still a foreign minister Somaliland would be on the verge of recognition.
There are lot of highly educated Somaliland women nowadays who could management the government better than those in power, as Faisal-yare above says. I agree that Dr. Edna Adan could have done more by now has she been allowed to do her work. but they were hounding her and after her job for a long time just because she was a woman doing a great job. Edna Adan made a mistake when she decided to be in their league. She is far more better.
Somaliland women are educated, talented, intelligent, and had a great potential. It is about time to hire women for key government positions. And political party who does not agree that women are a force to reckon with should not get women's votes. Pure and simple. And Somaliland women should learn how to play the game and turn it in their favour to balance the power.
I applaud the steps taken by UCID, by take exception Faisal's comment..Edna has done a lot for Somaliland, in particular her maternity hospital alone assure her a place in the pantheon of Somaliland heroes, but when she was foreign minister, she spent most of her time soliciting funds for the hospital, nothing wrong with that, but she neglected her other duties as foreign minister, and as a face saving solution was allowed to request relief from her post to concentrate on running the hospital, clinics and nurses school..
Secondly, anyone who thinks the current foreign minister, Mr.Duale is either unpatriotic or the any other slur, doesn't know that they are talking about. Mr.Duale is a Somalilander through and through, he is a shining star in Somaliland politics and has the leadership qualities to one day become a future Somaliland president, and no, I am neither his clan kinsman, a personal friend, relative by marriage nor on his payroll, I have seen him in action and let me tell you, as a true Somalilander, Mr.Duale is headed for the top.
Kariye, Mr.Ducale did not bring us the recognition of any state in the world! We dont judge people by how nice they are or how early they wake up in the morning, we care about the results! and I think Dr.Omar from (kulmiye's forgin affairs) has better personalty and intellectuality than Fatmia and Ducale combined. Dr.Omar I dont even know what is his tribe! but I love how active he is even though he is not in the goverment!
I support ladies taking power, up to be becuase presidents, but she has to be better than the men running for that position, and in case of fatmia, she is not as tough as Dr.Omar.