Politics of Somaliland
Encyclopedia
The politics of Somaliland take place in a framework of a presidential
representative democratic
republic
, with the President as head of government
, and of a multi-party system
. Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in two chambers of parliament, the House of Representatives of Somaliland
and the House of Elders.
The 2 major clans of Somaliland
are the Isaaq
and the Dir
(Gadabuursi
and Ciise). Somaliland has avoided the fractious interclan relations of Somalia.
Internationally no country recognizes Somaliland.
International aid organizations have done much to help restore essential services and infrastructure, clear land mine
s, reintegrate displaced populations, promote indigenous welfare organizations, and, more recently, to strengthen government bodies.
District elections then held determined which parties were allowed to contest the parliamentary and presidential elections, where a party was required to demonstrate at least twenty percent of the popular vote from four out of the six regions. This was designed to ensure that parties would not organize around ethnic lines. Three parties were selected to submit presidential candidates: the United Democratic Peoples’ Party (UDUB), Kulmiye, and the Party for Justice and Welfare (UCID). On April 14, 2003, 488,543 voters participated in the presidential elections, which ran more or less smoothly. The result was a slim eighty vote controversial victory for UDUB over the Kulmiye, complicated by allegations of ballot stuffing
against the incumbent UDUB. Despite calls for the Kulmiye to form a rival government, the party’s leadership did not do so, instead choosing to abide by the Supreme Court ruling that declared UDUB’s victory. Despite minor demonstrations, the transition to the presidency of Dahir Riyale Kahin
proceeded peacefully.
It faces some significant problems to its continued survival. Like other Somali governments, it lacks a consistent taxation base and receives most of its support from private actors. Corruption remains a problem, women are virtually unrepresented in government, and there are growing concerns about voting patterns based on ethnic lines as well as the majority that UDUB has gained over both the regional councils and presidency as well as the parliament.
Economic development has been heavily supported the diaspora
, lack of international recognition prevents international aid to it as a country.
. The UN still says there are some boundaries Somaliland will have to cross before it is recognized.
, the speaker of the Somaliland parliament to the opening of a new Assembly building. Mr. Abdillahi said that Somaliland sees his invitation "as a mark of recognition by the National Assembly for Wales that [Somaliland has] legitimacy." The Somali community in Wales numbers 8.000-10.000, most of whom come from Somaliland.
In December 2006 representatives of the Somaliland Parliament again attended the Welsh Assembly receiving a standing ovation from its members. Two months earlier the Assembly approved the establishment of an aid budget for Africa. These moves were approved by the UK Foreign Office and Department for International Development and are seen as an attempt by the UK to encourage and reward the authorities in its former colony while avoiding the issue of formal recognition.
|Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo
|PUDP
|27 July 2010
|}
. The House of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada) has 82 members, elected for a five year term. The House of Elders (Golaha Guurtida) has 82 members, representing traditional leaders.
elects on national level a head of state
(the president
) and a legislature
. The president is elected by the people for a five year term.
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, with the President as head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in two chambers of parliament, the House of Representatives of Somaliland
House of Representatives of Somaliland
The House of Representatives of Somaliland is the lower house of the Republic of Somaliland.The current House of Representatives, formed following elections held on 29 September 2005, has a total of 82 members, including the Speaker of the House, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi...
and the House of Elders.
The 2 major clans of Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
are the Isaaq
Isaaq
The Isaaq is one of the main Somali clans. Members of the clan principally live in the northwestern Somaliland region of Somalia, and the Somali Region of Ethiopia. The populations of five major cities of Somaliland – Hargeisa, Burco, Berbera, Ceerigaabo and Gabiley – are predominantly Isaaq...
and the Dir
Dir (clan)
The Dir , or Theyr bin Abdalla as mentioned in the book "Futuh al-Habasha", is a Somali clan. Its members mostly live in northwestern Somalia and Djibouti, in addition to southern and central Somalia and the Ogaden....
(Gadabuursi
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi , also known as Samaroon, is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir.Most Gadabuursi members are descendants of Sheikh Samaroon...
and Ciise). Somaliland has avoided the fractious interclan relations of Somalia.
Internationally no country recognizes Somaliland.
International aid organizations have done much to help restore essential services and infrastructure, clear land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
s, reintegrate displaced populations, promote indigenous welfare organizations, and, more recently, to strengthen government bodies.
History
For its first twelve years, Somaliland had no political parties but instead followed more traditional clan-based forms of political organization. Political parties were introduced during the presidential elections and it was hoped that the recent parliamentary elections would help to usher in a representative system without allowing representation to be overtly clan-based.District elections then held determined which parties were allowed to contest the parliamentary and presidential elections, where a party was required to demonstrate at least twenty percent of the popular vote from four out of the six regions. This was designed to ensure that parties would not organize around ethnic lines. Three parties were selected to submit presidential candidates: the United Democratic Peoples’ Party (UDUB), Kulmiye, and the Party for Justice and Welfare (UCID). On April 14, 2003, 488,543 voters participated in the presidential elections, which ran more or less smoothly. The result was a slim eighty vote controversial victory for UDUB over the Kulmiye, complicated by allegations of ballot stuffing
Ballot stuffing
Ballot stuffing is the illegal act of one person submitting multiple ballots during a vote in which only one ballot per person is permitted. The name originates from the earliest days of this practice in which people literally did stuff more than one ballot in a ballot box at the same time...
against the incumbent UDUB. Despite calls for the Kulmiye to form a rival government, the party’s leadership did not do so, instead choosing to abide by the Supreme Court ruling that declared UDUB’s victory. Despite minor demonstrations, the transition to the presidency of Dahir Riyale Kahin
Dahir Riyale Kahin
Dahir Rayale Kahin was the third President of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as a part of Somalia. He became the third president of Somaliland on May 3, 2002, after the death of Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal...
proceeded peacefully.
System of government
Somaliland has a hybrid system of governance combining traditional and western institutions. In a series of inter-clan conferences, culminating in the Borama Conference in 1993, a qabil (clan or community) system of government was constructed, which consisted of an Executive, with a President, Vice President, and legislative government; a bicameral Legislature; and an independent judiciary. The traditional Somali elderates (guurti) was incorporated into the governance structure and formed the upper house, responsible for managing internal conflicts. Government became in essence a "power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's main clans," with seats in the Upper and Lower houses proportionally allocated to clans according to a pre-determined formula. In 2002, after several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland finally made the transition to multi-party democracy, with district council elections contested by six parties.Current situation
Despite setbacks in 1994 and 1996, Somaliland has managed to prosper, assisted by its trade in livestock with Saudi Arabia.It faces some significant problems to its continued survival. Like other Somali governments, it lacks a consistent taxation base and receives most of its support from private actors. Corruption remains a problem, women are virtually unrepresented in government, and there are growing concerns about voting patterns based on ethnic lines as well as the majority that UDUB has gained over both the regional councils and presidency as well as the parliament.
Economic development has been heavily supported the diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, lack of international recognition prevents international aid to it as a country.
International relations
In 2005 Somaliland joined the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), an international organization dedicated to the promotion of the right to self-determinationSelf-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
. The UN still says there are some boundaries Somaliland will have to cross before it is recognized.
Wales
On March 1, 2006, the Welsh Assembly invited Abdirahman Mohamed AbdullahiAbdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi , born 24 April 1955, is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland's first elected Parliament. He was elected Speaker on November, 2005...
, the speaker of the Somaliland parliament to the opening of a new Assembly building. Mr. Abdillahi said that Somaliland sees his invitation "as a mark of recognition by the National Assembly for Wales that [Somaliland has] legitimacy." The Somali community in Wales numbers 8.000-10.000, most of whom come from Somaliland.
In December 2006 representatives of the Somaliland Parliament again attended the Welsh Assembly receiving a standing ovation from its members. Two months earlier the Assembly approved the establishment of an aid budget for Africa. These moves were approved by the UK Foreign Office and Department for International Development and are seen as an attempt by the UK to encourage and reward the authorities in its former colony while avoiding the issue of formal recognition.
Executive Branch
|President|Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo
Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo
Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo is a Somali politician. He is the current President of Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic internationally recognized as an autonomous region in Somalia...
|PUDP
|27 July 2010
|}
Legislative Branch
The Parliament (Baarlamaanka) has two chambersBicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
. The House of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada) has 82 members, elected for a five year term. The House of Elders (Golaha Guurtida) has 82 members, representing traditional leaders.
Political parties and elections
SomalilandSomaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
elects on national level a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
(the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
) and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected by the people for a five year term.
2005 Parliamentary election
2003 Presidential election
Dahir Riyale Kahin's Cabinet
- President: Dahir Riyale KahinDahir Riyale KahinDahir Rayale Kahin was the third President of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as a part of Somalia. He became the third president of Somaliland on May 3, 2002, after the death of Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal...
- Vice-President: Ahmed Yusuf YasinAhmed Yusuf YasinMudane Ahmed Yusuf Yasin was the Vice-President of Somaliland, a de facto independent republic which is recognized as a part of Somalia, from 2002 until 2010. He was a member of Dahir Rayale Kahin's cabinet....
- Minister of foreign affairs: Abdillahi Mohamed Dualeh
- Deputy Minister for Foreign affairs: Kayse Ahmed and Said Mohamed Nuur has already died
- Minister of planning: Ali Ibrahim MohamedDeputy Minister: Ahmed Hashi Abdi
- Minister of resettlement and rehabilitation: Abshir Ahmed Hussein He was replaced
- Minister of defence: Adan Mire Mohamed He was replaced
- Minister of water and mineral resources: Osman Sheikh and Qasim Sheekh Yusuf has died
- Minister of sports: Mohamoud Said Mohamed
- Minister of justice: Adan Ahmed ElmiAdan Ahmed ElmiAdan Ahmed Elmi , also known as Aden Mireh Dholayare, is the 4th Agricultural Minister of the separatist Republic of Somaliland. He became the Agricultural Minister on May 10, 2002, after the resignation of Ali Sheik Yusuf.- Background :...
- Minister of agriculture: Abdi Haybe[
- Minister of interior: Abdillahi Ismail Ali
- Minister of finance: Huseen Ali Duale
- Minister of information: Ahmed Haji Dahir Elmi
- Minister of education: Hassan Haji MohamoudHassan Haji MohamoudHassan Haji Mohamoud, also known as Hassan Gadhweyneh, as of 2003, is the Minister of Education of Somaliland. He was appointed the post in July 2003 by the current President of Somaliland, Dahir Riyale Kahin. He has previously served as the Governor of Saaxil between 1997 and 2003, and as the...
- Minister of commerce and industry: Abib Hassan Fil-fil
- Minister of religion: Sh. Mohamed Sh Mohamoud
- Minister of fisheries: ali Qorseef
- Minister of livestock: Dr. Idiris Abdi
- Minister of range and rural development: New minister has named and Fuad Adan Adde come opposition
- Minister of tourism and culture: Abdulkadir Waberi and Osman Bile Ali has died
- Minister of health and labour: Adan Ahmed ElmiAdan Ahmed ElmiAdan Ahmed Elmi , also known as Aden Mireh Dholayare, is the 4th Agricultural Minister of the separatist Republic of Somaliland. He became the Agricultural Minister on May 10, 2002, after the resignation of Ali Sheik Yusuf.- Background :...
and Abdillahi Hussein Iman come opposition in KULMIYE - Minister of civil aviation: Ali Mohamed
- Minister of presidency: Hassan Wadaad and come president advicer Nuh Mohamed Osman
- Minister for public works: Siciid Sulub
- Minister of state for reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation: Khalil Abdulkadir Farah HersiKhalil Abdulkadir Farah HersiKhalil Adbulkadir Farah Hersi , also known as Yam Yam, was a Somali poet.He was born and raised in Hargeisa, Woogiga Galbeed, the capital of the de facto state of Somaliland on September 4, 1949. He was the youngest child of 6 and the only son to his mother as his other siblings had a different...
- Minister of state for interior: Aw Adan Ali Saeed
- Minister of relations with houses of parliament: He died Abdi Hassan Buuni
- Minister of post and telecommunications: Ali Sandule and not Liban Ducaleh
- Minister for family affairs and social development: Fadumo Hassan Sudi
- Minister of state for public work: He is now freelance opposition Adan Ahmed Mohamoud