By Mukhtar Mohamed Abby

The masses of Somaliland, the International community and the donors are once again on the tenterhooks whether the Presidential Election for which is scheduled for September 27 would materialize as planned, on the account of the uncertainty surrounding the take place of the polls.

The world community and the donors have been gobsmacked when the Electoral list on which great amounts of bucks had been spent was discarded, and declared null and void by the National Election Commission of Somaliland without giving any kind of valid reason, and the President’s concurrence with that of the Election Commission.

Also what dumbfounded by the people of Somaliland living in and outside of country was the charges leveled against the Interpeace – the lone organization working with the Electoral Commission on the Electronic voter registration. And the Commission’s move that declared the organization persona non grata – a move that came in for angry reactions from the various quarters of the society, and stern criticism from the opposition parties as well as the International community.

The political parties had given a joint press conference in the aftermath of the voter list was discarded and the President’s subsequent endorsement of the Commission’s stance on the Electoral list. However, the high command of the two political parties namely the UCID Supremo and the Presidential aspirant Mr. Fayal Ali Warabe, and the first vice-chairperson and the acting chairman of Kulmiye Mr. Muse Bihi Abdi gave voice to at the news conference at which they severely slammed the Election Commission’s move for which they discarded the voter list and the Riyale’s deliberate attempt to sabotage and disrupt the Somaliland’s democratization process. The two leaders have described the Commission’s move as an unfortunate and act of high treason which could land them into custody if they do not immediately renounce their outlandish decision for which they completely nullified the Electoral list. The high command of the two parties – Kulmiye and UCID had unanimously boycotted the forthcoming Presidential polls. And they stated that they cannot repose trust in the Nation Electoral Commission of Somaliland since they are unbiased and sided with the ruling party – UDUB. Finally, the two leaders appealed to the International community to step in the political turmoil prevailing in Somaliland to exert a tremendous pressure on the President and the Electoral Commission, who are the reason of the Election’s bone of contention in order to abdicate their decision for which they abrogated the voter list.

Most recently the British –American authorities described the nullification of the Electoral list as unacceptable and directly asked for the President of Somaliland to demit his verdict and eschew any incident that could be a trigger for a bone of contention and the same time to ensure that the Presidential contests take place as intended.

According to the political commentators of Somaliland this move for which the Election Commission revoked the Electoral list is a delaying tactics which the President wants to remain in power for a period of time – a move that could ostensibly jeopardize the nascent democracy existing in the country.

However, if President Riyale continues to defy to the calls of the opposition parties ant that of the different quarters of the society, then the only way out of this Electoral crisis is, that the people of Somaliland take to the streets across Somaliland in protest against the invalidation of the voter list, which is for purely delaying tactics which the President wants to stay at the helm.

Inclusion, I strongly urge my fellow Somalilanders not to yield to the President’s Mugabwism ideology; and that "People Power" should prevail and show to the world how we are disapproved of the President’s delaying tactics. We, the people of Somaliland must refute the term “Hostages To Peace” in which the HUMANRIGHTS WATCH entitled its most recent report on Somaliland.

mukhtarcabi@hotmail.com

Karnataka State, India

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