Chief Abdi Dahir Elmi

Summary:

In December 2008, a unique biometric data registration has taken place in Somaliland for the 1^st time in new history. The new formula was an attempt to determine a satisfactory fare and free elections to undertake in Somaliland. Secondly it was objectively focused to reshape the electoral history of Somaliland and make difference in the electoral context of surrounded governments in east Africa. All the endeavors of internal arrangements and external assistance by International communities are stranded in mire situation. Mayhem of Interpeace body working relations created real ambiguity that gave chance what so ever happened to electoral business, while cooperation and good working relationship has shed a light on the effectiveness of new initiative, that are paramount to changes we strive for a defined purpose in the standards of good governance. The centre of greater responsibility is to ameliorate Somaliland infantile democracy and create world community realization of our stand.

Great conflict and contest for power and hidden affairs began to overshadow NEC status. Departments of NEC started to externalize hot issues rather than internalizing, transparency and round table discussions. Therefore quarrelsome time inside sectors became the centre of confusion and the other important institutions failed to help and correct NEC errors, or otherwise partially involved in NEC tensions.

These matters has consumed preparatory timeframe for elections, flaws was also encountered during purchasing machinery which was inappropriate to filter mishandled registrations, simple & poor characteristics of devise capacity encompass biometric technology failure to qualify and disqualify voters who made double/triple voter registration- ie to classify face pictures was impossible while the device picture capacity was 1.3 MPx and some of the mobiles are greater than this device and are showing 3 MPx. It showed difficult to classify pictures and we are far beyond to achieve our goals. So that what we have purchased from India is not reflecting the voter faith.

Interpeace became terrible icon that added fuel to the flaming issues of NEC and parities that have interest to run in due elections taking place in Somaliland. On one hand Coach Samora has miss-managed and proliferated the preliminary result of biometric data—yes definitely the result would have been displayed at any time, but d this was not the right time to disclose the biometric data as far as entered data requires easy means to solve the difference and disagreements between parties.

 The vote-casting was a pain-staking trial as we go through the new oceans that Somaliland went through without having enough experience and expertise, again we lacked real technocracy to prove and improvise analysis of biometric data. Now we fully understand that further prior study was essential to ensure the practicality of biometric registration. Henceforth, what has been printed out from the electronic devise made skeptics and vibrations among the three parties and other institutions in favored to Biometric data (UDUB, KULMIYE, UCID, NEC,).

 Somaliland has been putting emphasis to obtain renaissance of democratization and good governance in Somaliland. As well as to expedite the main principles of what has been intended to gain against voter registration and elections were to rest on peace for Somaliland population. I appeal restless politicians to take full responsibility on what is soon coming to happen in the country.

How Interpeace involved in the current state confusion

International communities has been praising to Somaliland for democratization and transformation of its politics from dim horizon to bright horizon. Somaliland put furtherance to implement better future for its community through comprehensive peace building blocks that lead to held free and fare electoral system. I believe that the next step of election was derailed by Interpeace, a misnomer wearing triple mask faces; as it articulated during interpretation of semi analyzed data fed in to the poorest equipment that ever materialized and ended up with apprehension and brought skeptics among the institutions. Each one of the three parties looked from their own angle of prospects to crown. Being a magistrate trusted by all parties and waiting from the body to reach one final conclusion of the issue – it is not wise to produce a three conflicting options as the manager of interpeace did in Somaliland vote preregistration results. One can understand the history and interest of interpeace while they characterize intermingle of other African elections, too Interpeace has paved the path to a complicated political scenario in the upcoming elections. 

The misnomer has committed high treason and has disrupted voter registration result; while interpeace offer multiple options to choose. These multiple options comprise of:-

·                         To take biometric data result which contain many errors that made the device irresponsive and un-able to dismiss repetitive voter and leave one registration for each voter

·                         To enter elections without pre-registration system

·                         To give some time to clean-up current biometric data which would have contributed much crisis to election delays and giving stalemate to Somaliland ambitions

Exit strategy for the incumbent political scenario

The above given scenario that can lead Somaliland at a tight spot requires an intelligence to way out. A negotiation based strategy and bottom-up nation building forum that characterize in the past will provide relief from the tense condition, though the situation is not more critical than the ailment of passed civil wars. The role belongs to multi-sectors in the society who are in safe hands from bias and interest, these sectors should have strengths to shorten the caps that has formulated by Interpeace and NEC.

The inclusion of all parties (KULMIYE, UCID, UDUB, & NEC) is a starting point and they should be embark at the deck of negotiating ship , such action are bold and would secure Somaliland from the event that overwhelmed Somalia till to date.

The answer of the question is rather standing and to respond tactfully will open the gate for successful implementation of the election and will ensure to close the gas gate of interpeace. As a spectacular of Somaliland electoral scenario, I strongly recommend that every party should put aside the difference and serve for the common interest and the way forward for the mature growth of Somaliland.

However, the leaders will for sure come-up with a simplified manner and prescribe the right remedies to the prevailing ailment of the over-politicized electoral processes. I also advice to Somaliland elites to create quest forum to investigate interpeace, NEC, Indian consultants and Copenhagen elections inorder to find out the committed mistakes and will bear the guilty verdict to his shoulder.

Secondly the international donors should distance them self from the discourse wandering between the parties (KULMIYE, UCID, UDUB, & NEC). All Somaliland community will stand to deepen routes for peace and contest for fare and free election.

Chief Abdi Dahir Elmi

abedulale@hotmail.com

Hargeysa Somaliland

20/08/2009

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