Even the most glittering political career ends in tears, but the in the case of UCID’s destitute party chair, Faisal Ali Warabe, a thoroughly unsuccessful political career ended in abject failure. Yesterday, the Somaliland Party Registration Committee rendered its judgement on the long running UCID feud. To make it brief, Jamal Ali Hussein won and Faisal Ali Warabe lost. To all intent and purposes, the party chair is finished. His word no longer has any weight or influence, he is a man twisting in the wind. The irony is, that he brought all this upon himself. So, it is onward with the future of Somaliland political leadership and farewell to old stalwarts and never-weres.
The final segment of the Somaliland voter registration drive recommenced after Ramadan in Sanaag and Sool. And as expected, there were some local difficulties with Somaliland’s neighbour, puntland. This puntland region which seems to be allergic to peace, democracy and progress, attempted to disrupt the voter registration drive. Suffice to say, they did not succeed and were last seen walking back after their vehicles were either captured or burnt. The lesson here, as we have recently witnessed in Turkey, is that you cannot stop the march of democracy.
Speaking of Turkey, the Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud “Silaanyo” went on a private sojourn there last week. The visit, ostensibly, a holiday, but according to reliable sources, an urgent need to stabilize the president’s diabetes, coincided with a bonehead move by elements of the Turkish Armed Forces to mount a coup. As we all know, the coup failed due to the people’s desire for democracy, and certainly, not any great love for Erdogan, (a closet dictator, if there ever was one). As expected, Ergodan, is now gleefully seeking revenge on his opponents. So far, over 10,000 detained, 100,000 sacked and so on. And these are our “honest brokers” with Somalia?
Happily, President Silaanyo is well and back in Somaliland. He would do well to follow the recent advice of his predecessor, Dahir Rayale Kahin, “be at the forefront on all the issues pertaining to the elections and the eastern parts of Somaliland. Do not delegate your responsibility until after the elections”. In other words, the buck stops with you, Mr. President.
And finally, if an illitrate minister orders the arrest of Somaliland’s premier television news anchor without a warrant, are we back to the dark days of old? If so, what the heck was all the sacrifice for? Freedom of the press and freedom of association are sacrosanct.
