Principles Of Public Life Of Somaliland Members Of ‎The Parliament‎‎

By Mohamed Dahir Khaire, London , United Kingdom

Members of parliament are elected to hold the public office and have the duty to serve the public interest and the citizens who elected them are entitled to feel confident that their power of sovereignty is being exercised for their benefit.

Holding a public office is a public trust and signifies that the officer has been entrusted with public power by the people; that the officer holds this power in trust to be used only for their benefit and never for his/her benefit.

Newly elected members of Somaliland parliament shall be governed and guided by the following principles in their public life. These principles should apply to all holders of public offices in the Republic of Somaliland such as Ministers and civil servants.

1: Selflessness

Member are elected or appointed solely to serve the public interest. They should never use their position to gain for themselves, their family or friends any financial benefits, preferential treatment or other advantage, or to confer such benefits, treatment or advantage improperly on others.

2: Honesty and Integrity

Members should not place themselves in situations where their honesty and integrity may be questioned; they should not behave improperly and should on all occasions avoid the appearance of such behavior.

3: Duty to uphold the law

Members should uphold the law, and on all occasions, act in accordance with the trust that the public entrusted in them.

4: Objectivity

Members should make decisions on merit, including when making appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards or benefits.

5: Accountability

Members should be accountable to the public for their actions and the manner in which they carry out their responsibilities, and should co-operate fully and honestly with any scrutiny appropriate to their particular office.

6: Openness

Members should be as open as possible about their actions and those of their authority; they should be prepared to give reasons for those actions.

7: Honesty and Integrity

Member should have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

8: Personal Judgment

Members may take account of the views of others, including their political groups, but should reach their own conclusions on the issues before them and act in accordance with those conclusions.

9: Respect for Others

Members should promote equality by not discriminating unlawfully against any person, and by treating people with respect, regardless of their race, age, gender, or disability. They should respect the impartiality and integrity of the authority's statutory officers, and its other employees.

10: Leadership

Members should promote and support these principles by leadership and example, and should always act in a way that preserves public confidence.

Thank you,

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