His Excellency the President of the Republic of Somaliland, Musa Bihi Abdi, met with the leaders of the two national opposition parties at the presidency to break the political stalemate among parties revolving around the timing of elections and the composition of the National Electoral Commission.
Following a sedating proposal which a voluntary mediation committee released last week which, among other suggestions, proposed that the incumbent commission be dissolved, the old one re-instated and that the pronounced term extensions the bicameral parliament gave itself be reviewed by stakeholders.
Literally and subliminally, both, the committee voiced the public and international partners’ concern that it was unacceptable that elections slated for next be postponed further to beyond two years.
All political parties and the government declared in different hues that they will abide by the proposal. The government, though, visibly hedged by adding that it will consult the law as to ‘how the proposal could be constitutionally implemented’.
This attitude appears to have changed at the presidency since then.
“The President along with the Vice President and chairpersons of opposition parties agreed to have further discussion over upcoming local & parliamentary elections,” the Presidency tweeted after the meeting.
Since depleting patience among the majority of stakeholders leave no quarter for extensions engineered to push back the elections, and as much have been conveyed to President Bihi, parliament and the ruling party, the tweet imbues hope into a brave capitulation on the part of the government. Nothing less can work, critics observe.
The President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. @musebiihi had a productive discussion with Somaliland opposition leaders.
The President along with @VPsomaliland & chairpersons of opposition parties agreed to have further discussion over upcoming local & parliamentary elections. pic.twitter.com/NNBTwNLp56— Madaxtooyada JSL (@MadaxtooyadaJSL) December 23, 2019
Further elaborating on the theme, the presidency continues to state that:
“The three political parties should set forth the most appropriate date to hold the long-overdue elections,” thus admitting that it now sees why everybody was thrown off by the proclaimed extensions.
“The three political parties should remove the bottlenecks and constraints in holding Parliamentary and Local elections,” it added, proposing that the three political parties seriously discuss ‘the decision of ad hoc committee’.
Quite a departure from the Presidency’s usual stringency. More in line with the country’s time-tested, traditional dialogue-and-compromise formulae to defuse tensions.
The director-general of the President, Mohamed Ali Bile, taking a cue from the tweet of the President’s office, confirms the changing mood in a Tweet of his own.
Today, President @musebiihi and @VPsomaliland met chairmen of opposition parties – an important trust building meeting. Discussed timing of upcoming elections, reviewed recommendations made by mediating elders. Agreed meet again after consultation with their respective parties. pic.twitter.com/vL8Ns6nCFE
— Mohamed Ali Bile (@BilemohamedAli) December 23, 2019
Seeing how the opposition, especially WADDANI – the more vociferous, more unpredictable of the two parties was happy of the outcome of today’s meeting, is a further indication of a turnabout which has the makings of metamorphosing into a full bloom political settlement.
Waddani Chairman tweets:
UCID and WADDANI had their first meeting with Somaliland president today and had fruitful discussions over implementation of the clauses of the mediation committee's resolution to end the standoff on parliamentary and local elections. pic.twitter.com/9ZEZRuBzka
— Cabdiraxmaan Cirro (@CirroSL) December 23, 2019
