As the in a polls Quandary president Silanyo stands firm to separation decision and embarks on suspected funds soliciting in the UAE.
The international community that has a stake in the country’s democratization process has withdrawn funding
This follows the postponement of parliamentary elections after a decision by president Silanyo to hold only presidential polls in a march 2017, a decision which the IC stakeholders and major funds contributors are against.
With this withdrawal Somaliland which was to receive nine and a half million dollars from the IC stakeholders has only seen a meager $1.5m injected thence the government coffers in a Hargeisa at now left with the onerous task of chipping in the balance of $8.5m towards the elections.
The IC stakeholders who argue that the separation of parliamentary and presidential elections lectins lacks any basis and is injurious to the democratization process also point to the fact that the large amount injected into the just concluded voter registration was geared towards the simultaneous exercise of both elections.
With the heavy weight of financing the elections following the now for sure withdrawal of IC input president Silanyo recently announced that the state apparatus is set for deliberations on the way forward as per central coffers availing the necessary funding.
That being so the urgency on the administration that has to bear the entire costs following its adamant stand to firm with the decision by president Silanyo contrary to warnings by the IC, is to see to it that voter cards distribution funds are availed the national election commission which only issued papers during h registration process.
Though Somaliland has since 2005 relied heavily on the IC funding elections it will not be the first time for the country to go it alone for the first ever multiparty elections of 2002-local government and 2003-presidential elections were solely funded by the then government of president Dahir Rayale Kahin.
Ironically the IC democratization stakeholders that started funding the process with the parliamentary elections of 2005 are withdrawing their purse for postponement of ballot for th same legislature they helped, established financially.
Somaliland watchers aware of the financial constraints engulfing the Silanyo administration are uncertain on the possibility of holding the polls as slated if the IC remains adamant to the threat of funding withdrawal.
Accordingly many are the opinion that the administration will embark on a cheap sale of public property in order to cover the election funds denied by the IC others opinionated that the current visit to Dubai by president Silanyo has the objective of enticing the United Arab Emirates government with providing the needed $8m l cation costs.
In a nutshell the poignant issue that is in the minds of many is whether, if the administration manage s to fund voter cards distribution and hold presidential elections,, will it be in a position to trumpet the success to the world as is the norm? Especially with the now discernibly to be absent international observers.
