Somali People's Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The Somali People's Democratic Party (SPDP; ) is a political party
in Ethiopia
, officially representing the Somali people
. It is allied with, but not a member of, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF).
In the last general elections, the SPDP won 24 seats. These seats include 23 from the Somali Region
and one from the chartered city of Dire Dawa
. In the local elections for the Somali Region, which was held 30 May of that year, the SPDP won 75 seats in 13 kebele
s of the Jijiga
city council, 4,032 seats in 52 woreda
s as well as 47,849 seats in 706 kebeles of the Somali Region.
Its leading members include Mohamoud Dirir, current Minister of Culture and Tourism
, and the late Dr. Abdul Majid Hussein, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Nations.
held 15 May 2005, the SPDP won 24 seats, 23 from the Somali Region and one from the chartered city of Dire Dawa. The chairman of the Pastorialist Affairs Committee for that session of Parliament was a member of the party. In the August 2005 Regional assembly elections, the party won 161 out of 182 seats in the Somali Region.
In the 2008 by-elections
, the SPDP won 74 seats in 16 kebeles in the Dire Dawa City Administration Council, and on the woreda level won 5,497 seats giving it complete control in 12 kebeles and partial control in 19 kebeles.
In the 2000 general elections
, the SPDP won 19 seats (from the 23 allocated to the Somali State). In the Regional assembly elections of that year, the party won 150 seats out of 165 in the Region, while the remaining 15 seats were divided between two opposition parties.
(ESDL) and a splinter group of the Ogaden National Liberation Front
in June 1998, after the ESDL had splintered into feuding factions, discrediting itself in the eyes of Somali-Ethiopians and losing the support of the ruling EPRDF. However, like the ESDL before it, the Somali People's Democratic Party is considered by many inhabitants of the Somali Region
to be "an EPRDF puppet", who accuse its members "of corruption and incompetence".
The party observed the eleventh anniversary of its founding in Filtu
, where numerous improvements to the infrastructure of the Liben Zone
were announced.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, officially representing the Somali people
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
. It is allied with, but not a member of, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
(EPRDF).
In the last general elections, the SPDP won 24 seats. These seats include 23 from the Somali Region
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
and one from the chartered city of Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia . This chartered city is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura....
. In the local elections for the Somali Region, which was held 30 May of that year, the SPDP won 75 seats in 13 kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s of the Jijiga
Jijiga
Jijiga is a city in eastern Ethiopia and the capital of the Somali Region of that country. Located in the Jijiga Zone approximately 80 km east of Harar and 60 km west of the border with Somalia, this city has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1,609 meters above sea...
city council, 4,032 seats in 52 woreda
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
s as well as 47,849 seats in 706 kebeles of the Somali Region.
Its leading members include Mohamoud Dirir, current Minister of Culture and Tourism
Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism
The Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism is the part of the Government of Ethiopia responsible for developing and promoting the tourist products of Ethiopia both inside the country and internationally...
, and the late Dr. Abdul Majid Hussein, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Nations.
Electorial record
At the general electionsEthiopian general elections, 2005
Ethiopia held general elections on May 15, 2005, for seats in both its national and in four regional government councils. Under pressure from the international community, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised that this election would be proof that more democracy would come in this multi-ethnic...
held 15 May 2005, the SPDP won 24 seats, 23 from the Somali Region and one from the chartered city of Dire Dawa. The chairman of the Pastorialist Affairs Committee for that session of Parliament was a member of the party. In the August 2005 Regional assembly elections, the party won 161 out of 182 seats in the Somali Region.
In the 2008 by-elections
Ethiopian by-elections, 2008
Ethiopia held nation-wide elections for local offices in the kebele and woreda assemblies on 13 and 20 April 2008. By-elections were also held for seats in the Addis Ababa City Council, and in the national and regional parliaments that were vacant due to the Coalition for Unity and Democracy’s ...
, the SPDP won 74 seats in 16 kebeles in the Dire Dawa City Administration Council, and on the woreda level won 5,497 seats giving it complete control in 12 kebeles and partial control in 19 kebeles.
In the 2000 general elections
Ethiopian general election, 2000
Ethiopia held general elections on 14 May and 31 August 2000, for seats in both its national and in several Regional government councils. although several opposition parties boycotted the election, 17 parties including the All-Amhara People's Organization, the Southern Ethiopia Peoples' Democratic...
, the SPDP won 19 seats (from the 23 allocated to the Somali State). In the Regional assembly elections of that year, the party won 150 seats out of 165 in the Region, while the remaining 15 seats were divided between two opposition parties.
History
The SPDP was created from the merger of the Ethiopian Somali Democratic LeagueEthiopian Somali Democratic League
The Ethiopian Somali Democratic League was a political party in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. It was the ruling EPRDF's regional partner from 1994 to 1998.- Overview :...
(ESDL) and a splinter group of the Ogaden National Liberation Front
Ogaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
in June 1998, after the ESDL had splintered into feuding factions, discrediting itself in the eyes of Somali-Ethiopians and losing the support of the ruling EPRDF. However, like the ESDL before it, the Somali People's Democratic Party is considered by many inhabitants of the Somali Region
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
to be "an EPRDF puppet", who accuse its members "of corruption and incompetence".
The party observed the eleventh anniversary of its founding in Filtu
Filtu
Filtu is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located in the Liben Zone of the Somali Region, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1,150 meters above sea level...
, where numerous improvements to the infrastructure of the Liben Zone
Liben Zone
Liben is one of the nine Zones of the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Liben is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Oromia Region, on the northeast by Afder, and on the southeast by Somalia. Towns in Liben include Softu and Dolo....
were announced.