Part One:
Waddani opposition party always puts forward contradictory and questionable debates to the electorate.
One of the contradictory and questionable debates is Waddani opposition party’s call for a change in the status quo, but its chairman and presidential candidate Hon.Abdirahman Irro was the speaker and leader of Somaliland House of Representatives, which is one of the three branches of the state (The legislative branch, the executive branch and the Judiciary branch).
Somaliland electorate has every right to evaluate the history and previous engagements of any one who seeks to be elected for the president of Somaliland, It is constitutional and democratic right to shed light his personality,leadership,political orientation,integrity,decsion making,stamine,loyality,recent history and past history.
Hence, Hon, Abdulrahman Irro’s 12 year tenure as the speaker of Somaliland house of representative is sufficient enough to understand and evaluate him personally and professionally. On the other hand, how can claim to change a government you were parcel and part of. A politician failed on one branch of the government will not make sense to be awarded to lead the nation. This is one of the serious contradictory debates of Waddani opposition party.
The constitution clearly shows that the House of Representatives can initiate laws to the benefit of Somaliland citizens, without making an excuse that the executive did not bring bills to the house.
According to article 74 of Somaliland constitution bills (draft legislation may be introduced at the House of Representatives by:
- The council of government (the cabinet).
- The requisite number of members of the House of Representatives as laid down in rules passed by the house.
- Except for financial bills, at least 5000(five thousand) citizens who are eligible to vote
The house of the representatives led by Hon. Abdurrahman Irro, ignored the wider interest of Somalilanders, but chose to table in acts pushed by foreign, international nongovernmental organizations and business lobbyist groups.
In light of the above background, did Abdurrahman iron failed or succeeded to exercise the constitutional powers of the house of representative to serve the interest of Somaliland citizens? , I will analyse,the bills the house should have tabled in, in the wider public interest but failed to do so, the houses check and balance apparatus, has it worked as intended or not?, as speaker of the house of representatives did he use the post for the betterment of Somalilanders or the promotion of his political agenda?, did he led the house with vision and exemplary leadership?, where his good governance and anti corruption credentials stand in light of how he managed the house and its resources?, his numerous foreign trips and quest for Somaliland recognition, can we deduce his level of patriotism in light of his leadership of the house?, is he a good decision maker and innovative leader?, Somaliland youth and the performance of the house of representative.
The legislative bills, which the house failed to bring to the table in light of Somaliland public interest includes among others:
- Drug (medicine) administration and safety act.
2.Civilian staff rights act, since the rights of employees working in the private sector are constantly infringed such as working hours, pay scale, sick leave, annual leave, severance rights etc.
- National security act to modernize our national security apparatus, as well as the official secrets act.
- Public sector reform bills such as Audit reform, Tax reform, Procurement reform, financial accountability reform, justice reform, and civil service reform. For example our tax system requires reform since it is not progressive system of taxation, where the tax you pay depends on your level of income and wealth, currently the burden of taxation falls on the poor and the street dwellers, where little or none corporate and other taxes are collected from big corporations and companies making tens of millions of dollars annually as net income in various industries and economic sectors.
- Road safety act; nowadays it is common thing to hear road deaths every day inside big cities and between towns.
- Bills relating election of parliamentarians and district and regional boundaries demarcation bills.
- Public asset privatization act; to make sure that the proceeds from asset disposal are kept in the government treasury.
- Educational quality standards act.
- Foreign and domestic investment act.
- Public private partnership act.
- Food security and food safety act.
- Commercial banking act.
On the other hand, the house led by Irro, failed to follow up the acts passed by the house as far as their implementation is concerned. A case in point is the central bank act passed by the house late 2012, which plainly stipulates the powers of the central bank, its board of directors, regulation of exchange bureaus, setting up of monetary policy mechanisms. Implementation of this act would have helped us to get a solution for the conundrums of exchange fluctuations and inflation hikes. All in all, none of the acts passed by this house has been implemented and no one has followed up why it has not being implemented.
On the management of the resource of the House of Representatives, Irro failed to install an internal audit mechanism at the house, which is an international standard practice. When other parliamentarians asked him how he manages the finances of the house three years ago, he advised them to make them salary and allowances increment, which they did.
His leadership of the House of Representatives was disastrous and wasted more than a decade of Somaliland time, which he could have made a landscape legislative reform in every sector.
In conclusion, his 12 years tenure as speaker of the house of the representatives was a curse not a blessing and he can not claim that he will make a change if he becomes a president; the worthy question is why he didn’t make a change when he was the leader of the House of Representatives.
Part Two
In part one I have exposed how Waddani chairman and its presidential candidate Mr. Abdirahman Irro botched on the leadership of the House of Representatives as its chairman for the last 12 years. I have deduced from there that it will not make sense to seek the President of the Republic, since he has abjectly failed on the leadership of the legislative branch which is the most crucial branches of the government (The legislative, The Judiciary, and The executive).
On other hand ,the most powerful ministries in the executive branch of the government for the last six years are in Waddani party ‘s shadow cabinet and leadership positions, notably former Ministries in the Presidency, Public works and housing, Education, Foreign affairs and Justice. Those ministries have tried unconstitutional coup with the counsel of their radical mentors in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Muqdisho.They were the most corrupt, inefficient and uneducated in the cabinet. The great paradox is the same ministries who were in the driving seat in Kulmiye government for the last six years are now in the Waddani’s driving seat calling for change, what kind of change?, aren’t you the same people?.
Therefore,Waddani party was leading Somaliland government’s legislative and executive branches of government; thus if there is any need of change, there is a need of changing the wrongs they have done in the executive and legislative branches of the government. Their rethoric and call for change is an insult to the nation and its intellectuals.
Waddani party claims that it will bring international recognition; Mohamed Bihi Yonus was Somaliland’s minister of foreign affairs and currently in Waddani party’s shadow cabinet, the worthy question is why didn’t you brought the recognition while you were the top diplomat in Somaliland? Similarly let alone Waddani party working in Somaliland’s quest for recognition there is a fear that it is working in greater Somalia unification, since there is in its shadow cabinet and politburo former Mogadishu’s foreign minister Mr. Buubaa, who is still in the believe of Somalia unity and unification. On the same footing, members of Damjul jadiid religious sect whom are the most powerful personalities in Waddani such as Hersi, Duur and Abdirasaq Khalif believe in Somalia unity as per the charter of Damul jadid.
Further, Waddani party also argues that they will solve the current youth predicament in Somaliland. Neverthless, Waddani Presidential candidate Mr. Abdirahman Irro was loath and indifferent in the mass youth persecution by the Siyad Barre government in the 1980s. He was senior staff member of Somalia Republic foreign affairs ministry and was happy with the policy of his government at the time to destroy Somaliland and annihilate its people. Thus, the worthwhile question is; what is the difference between Somaliland Youth in the 1980s and the current youth in Somaliland? The answer is the people and the youth are the same once and Mr. Abdirahman irro is the same person. On the same footing Waddani Presidential candidate Abdirahman Irro’s children lives in Finland and studies there. Many social research studies mention that parents always are psychologically connected to where the children resides and are interested the education, health and security situation in the country which they live. Therefore Mr. Irro does not know well the real conditions which Somaliland youth are in.
Waddani party also argues that they will keep and further improve the security. However security experts told me let alone Waddani party to do something about the security; there is a real worry that powerful personalities within Waddani party leadership are threat to Somaliland security and the regional security as well. Moreover, Waddani Presidential candidate Abdirahman irro is not knowledgeable about the local and regional security environment since he never worked on any security related institution and never attended the various peace building, conflict resolution and disarmament conferences which took place in the country.
Part Three
In part one and part two, I have exposed the mess created by Waddani party candidate and his party politburo in Somaliland legislative and executive branches of government in the last decade and how it is contradictory to call for a change by Waddani ,what change? Who is apt to change the mess they have created, them? Or someone else?
Waddani party recently stated that they have transferred the post of party chairman to Abdiqadir Jirde, nevertheless all the letters and correspondences coming out of Waddani party headquarters are signed by the actual party chairman and Waddani candidate Abdurrahman Irro. Therefore it is paradox and at odds to claim that you have handed over a post to someone and still you are keeping the signature of the post.
Further Waddani party claims that it is a nationalist party which likes the land and its people; however this is being contradicted by their hatred of the national defense forces and their belittling of the value of military service. Can a country stand on its feet without a national defense force, bearing in mind the countless threats emanating from the Horn of Africa region. When you tell the youth, serving in the army is bad and it is inferior profession and anyone who served in the army has a lower intellect and cannot lead a nation, then your hatred of the peace and tranquility of Somaliland is palpable and beyond doubt.
On the other hand, Waddani party argues that there is a rivalry within Kulmiye for the post of chairmanship. The awkward folks who have used to engineer conflicts within Kulmiye are now in the Waddani executive leadership. The fear of conflict and confusion exists in Waddani not Kulmiye. Kulmiye has a clear and tested procedure as to how to hand over the post of the chairmanship at the appropriate time.
Similarly Waddani argues that it is going to prop up the disabled people but at the same time it discredits and disparages the struggle they have lost for their legs and hands. It is a bazaar paradox to claim that you are supporting the disabled of the struggle and at the same time deny and demean the cause they were fighting for.
On the same footing Waddani argues that it will heed and do something about the grievances of the discriminated tribes and tribes residing in Awdal and Sool. On the contrary Mr. Barkhad from the discriminated tribes shown for his desire for seeking the post of Waddani party’s vice president candidate, but he was told that he is not eligible. Similarly, Ahmed Muumin Seed, Waddani’s long-term first deputy have been sidelined and Waddani preferred for another chap who is new to the party. The only reason Ahmed Muumin seed have been sidelined and discriminated was as per Waddani argument that he is from a small tribe in comparison with the other candidate. Therefore Waddani’s rhetoric and actual behavior is miles apart.
BY: Mohamed Dahir Ahmed
Hargeisa, Somaliland