Who Can Replace Sillanyo As The Presidential Ticket For KULMIYE Party

By Dr. Mohamud Tani, Ottawa, Canada

It is almost a certainty that the UDUB party will bring the president back into the ticket. As a matter of rule, the party does not usually change the incumbent.

It happens only if the circumstances dictate, and we do not see any dissenting voices within the UDUB demanding any change of direction. As far as most supporters of the ruling party are concerned, the ship of the state of Somaliland is sailing smoothly through the troubled waters of the Horn of Africa, and all thanks to the CAPTAIN at the steering wheel. Some would say that we are sailing a bit slow, but remember what the turtle told the hare in the old folklore story: Slow and Steady Takes you all the Way. However, let me state here unequivocally, even if we of the UDUB are crowning the president again, we would most certainly need to make the process transparent and democratic.

We are in a situation were we restricted the political participation to the only present three political parties, therefore, if democracy is not practiced within their structure, people will lose faith in the political process, and that will bode great danger for Somaliland.

Look at what happened to Faisal and his UCID. It had the promise of a young rising political party. A great number of young Somalilanders who did not want to get identified with the Major players wanted to take UCID to their hearts.

Now many are disappointed about how the recent UCID convention was handled. The party had the chance of showing how different and fairer and honest their young party was to the people of Somaliland. Well, the leadership put their heads in the sand like an ostrich, and acted as if they were more concerned about their positions in the party rather than the chances of the party for a win which was connected to their commitment for the process of democratization within the party.

That was a chance lost for UCID and one more hurdle out of our UDUB way, but sad for the nation, for I would like that all our parties live up to the aspirations of our people.

What I am afraid of now is the same fate might be waiting the KULMIYE party. If KULMIYE brings back Sillanyo and the Alan -as back, in a rather out of the way and heavy handed tactics, then it will be to the glee of our UDUB party, but again sad for the nation.

Let me remind you that Udub won against that bunch when it did not have any record at all.

Now that they:

1- Handled the transition process rather well.

2- Lead the nation through the arduous task of elections and democratization in a most statesmanly way.

3- Attracted a substantial investment from Europe and S. Africa to our little nation.

4- Made the Berbera port a competitive port that now Ethiopian trade and goods are advancing through.

5- Successfully defeated and fought against terrorist acts and made Somaliland safe.

6- Made our case for recognition get debated at the African Union- A great diplomatic achievement.

7- Managed to show a great amount of wisdom, tolerance and patience in treating the issues of the E. Sool and E. Sanaag.

8- Handling with Care every fragile situation of the nation.

Therefore, with a record to campaign on, and except for nothing from KULMIYE but fear mongering rhetoric and finger pointing that has already become out of taste and out of fashion to most Somalilanders, UDUB's contest with a KULMIYE party having the same group as leaders would be won hands down. It will be a cake's walk. I for one do not want that to happen.

The political situation in Somaliland today is boring. It could only be animated by a change of style and persons at the top of the KULMIYE leadership, I have several suggestions:

1- Mohamed Mohamud Omerhashi A great man with a great talent. An Economist from the prestigious London School of Economics. If you ask all our UFFO group who they would choose as a leader, it would be him. He is now an MP.

2- Ahmed Hussein Issa. A great scientist and diplomat. A PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. A board member of many prestigious international associations. A great Human Rights Activist, well known at the American Academy of Science Human Rights Group. His wife is a senior American diplomat, that makes him the ideal candidate for lobbing in the U.S on our behalf.

3- Abdirahman Abdulqadir Farah. According to the British Historian I.M Lewis in his book The Blood and Bones it was only Abdirahman and Dr. Omer Dihood who began the SNM movement in England. Abdirahman grew up in England, and though I do not personally know him, from what I gathered from reliable sources , he could be one if elected to the ticket of KULMIYE could make the Government a run for their money.

4- Abdirahman Yusuf Artan. 'Lenin" He is a graduate of Moscow University in Theatre and Drama. A well educated man who also writes and talks with clarity and vision From what I see in the news Lenin is now one of the most constructive and most reasonable members of the opposition in the parliament.

5- Suleiman Nuh. Suleiman Nuh needs no introduction. A great freedom-fighter. An Engineer from Howard University. A man known for sincerity, knowledge and wisdom. He is not in the politics now , I do not know even if he subscribes to the KULMIYE party. However he is someone that the Kulmiye party can draft to the ticket if they are serious in offering something that can be an alternate to UDUB.

6- Ikram Haji Daud has taken us by surprise here in N. America. We just got stunned by her eloquence, charm, present ability, intelligence and sincerity. Ikram can be a plus in any KULMIYE ticket.

Well there are hundreds of people that can bring new ideas and stamina to the KULMIYE party, and to the body politic of Somaliland However I have only one advice to the KULMIYE members As a concerned Somalilander please do not bring back the bunch that we defeated before we even learned how to walk, let alone how to run fast..

Somaliland needs fresh opposition group with fresh ideas that can energize the whole political process. Let us have a world class political campaign in 2008. Long live Somaliland.

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Dr. Mohamud Tani is a Die-Hard Somalilander living in Canada. He was one of Siyad Barre regime’s victims that spent many years in the famous and brutal Labatan-Jirow High Security Prison, Somalia. He never yields about the existence of Somaliland. Dr. Tani is critical, politically, to the Somaliland opposition parties.

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