Ali Gulaid, San Jose, USA
The country is gearing up for the upcoming presidential election (April 14th, 2003). Somaliland prides herself with stability that eluded the rest of Somalia. In order to bolster her claim to sovereignty, Somaliland is poised in surpassing another milestone that isn’t currently characterized nor practiced in Africa: Holding free and fair elections. To accomplish that, the election commission should be an independent agency with an earmarked budget. An agency that is free from undue government influence. However, the commission’s work is hamstrung by the Administration’s unwillingness to confer the Commission an independent status and that bodes ill for Somaliland. The fear is flawed election could derail the prospects of recognition.
Ambassador David Shin’s "the little country that could be" (CSIS, November 2002) has echoed this sentiment. The analysis has touched some issues that have shaped Somaliland and others that need attention. It remarked that the upcoming election demands careful planning and consideration before embarking on it.
Further, it has indicated that election could be double-edge sword. While it has pointed-out that free and fair election at both the municipal and national levels could strengthen the prospects of recognition, it has also warned that conducting flawed election could hinder recognition. Well said. Few have dared to question the possibility and practicality of holding free and fair elections within the constitutional time frame at that time. To their credit, the Somaliland Forum has, in a letter addressed to the Gurti, hinted to postpone the presidential election within the confinement of the constitution. Prior to that, I have also raised serious concerns about the feasibility of conducting reasonably free and fair elections in "is it too late to hold multiparty elections?" (Somaliland Times, issue 20, June 1st, 2002). As usual, these advices were ignored. That was then. Now, it is too late and all that Somaliland could hope for is to minimize the fall out of an election destined and designed to be rigged.
Holding elections without proper planning would only benefit those who have the power, the will and the means to rig the process and the current Administration is intended to muscle-out the opposition, wheel itself into the Presidency without fear and shame in whichever way it can. The obstacles, the procedural deficiency and the ill preparedness that I have outlined in "is it too late to hold elections" are more resounding today than they were ten (10) months ago.
Here it is again, in part. "Limited resources, decayed infrastructure, remote polling stations, poor telecommunications, the lack of census and proper documents and the inexperience of both the election commission and the electorate would be daunting to over come...the organization of the upcoming election is monumental: It requires planning, appraisal, coordination, facilities, logistics, equipment, observers (local and international), mobilization of security officers, and many more tasks that require comprehensive analysis...There should be no illusion; this isn’t going to be a walk in the park like the uncontested referendum".
"A permanent independent election agency should be established. The longer the election commission remains part-time, the longer elections would be delayed. In order to conduct a reasonably satisfactory election, there must be an independent agency assigned to conduct the election. Since, Somaliland has embraced the democratic principles, which require periodic elections, referendums, initiatives and the like, it can’t afford to assemble each time an inexperienced commission and disband it after the election. The election is the foundation of good governance and to assign ad-hoc committee, and part-time personnel for such an important office would be a disservice to democracy. The election office should be held to the highest regard and for that reason; it should become a permanent agency. The agency should recruit immediately permanent professional staff with regional representatives and secretarial staff. In order to conduct free and fair elections, the agency should have a budget earmarked for discharging its duty".
"The fact that an ill equipped election commission is appointed isn’t the end of the road. The road is long; it has many turns, it has uphill, and it is rough and there is no Samaritan along the way handing over cold water. Only a seasoned marathon runner could afford a respite but an impoverished Somaliland with worn-out and squeaking wheels would have to approach the upcoming election with a desire to survive."
"Somaliland should prepare and standardize the election procedures. The custody, the security and the procedures of counting of the ballots, the training of the staff, detecting and deterring to vote more than once, chronicling problems and resolving conflicts at the polling station are only a few of many tasks that would require identifying and prescribing standardized procedures. All of these tasks consist of minute details that need planning. If these procedures aren’t standardized, each polling station would be implementing a separate procedure and that could be enough grounds to contaminate. Standardizing the system and the procedures across the board would enhance the efficiency, the transparency and the fairness. Whenever the standard is established, there is less chaos and less improvisation, and any deviations can be analyzed, evaluated and assessed against the prescribed standard."
That was ten months ago. Today, the Presidential election is one month away and sadly the preparation is limping and the finish line is looming. Conducting reasonably fair Presidential election is an event Somaliland could have used to her benefit but that prospect is loosing credibility fast. No one disputes the benefits of an internationally acclaimed and certified free and fair election but it appears that the Administration has circumvented the system for shortsighted political gain. And that might cost Somaliland dearly.
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