The members of the Somali Future Council, who recently issued a statement, announced that they have endorsed a direct electoral process to rescue the country from the current difficult political transition.
The Future Council said that this decision came as a compromise they made, appealing to the people, to resolve the current conflict.
“The decision of the Somali Future Council is based on political compromise and appealing to the Somali people who are eager to resolve the electoral conflict as soon as possible,” the statement said.
The Future Council members also stated in their statement that this new process is consistent with the right of Somali citizens to freely and directly elect their representatives, while preserving the 4.5 clan representation system.
They also said that they would present the details of this plan when political talks begin to find a solution to the long-standing dispute over the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the Future Council sent a message to President Hassan Sheikh, demanding that he first suspend the elections he is currently conducting, noting that their results are already known.
“The Council insists on suspending the unilateral elections with predetermined results being conducted by the President whose term has expired, in order to facilitate the negotiations on a direct electoral process, which can ensure that the voice of the Somali people becomes the basis of political legitimacy,” the statement said again.
This decision by the opposition members, Jubbaland and Puntland, united in the Future Council, comes at a critical time, and efforts are underway led by the international community to mediate between the conflicting parties in the country’s politics.
Somalia is currently at a critical juncture, as the conflict between the opposition and the government has turned violent, following recent fighting in neighborhoods in Mogadishu, which has caused heavy casualties.
Since the emergence of the republic of Somalia as sovereign country in the 1960 there were only two free and democratic elections held in the country where people vote for political parties and elect their representatives in the parliament and indeed the local government as well. Since then, a military coup came in the 1969 and consequently the Junta altered any form of free elections in the country and multiparty system were abolished by Barre’s regime.
Then after 24 years of political instability and civil wars Somalia managed a federal system based on 4.5 clan system of power sharing. This system was criticized due to indirect elections, bribes, and lack of accountability by the public in general. The aim of the 4.5 clan-based federalism was designed as post-conflict resolution mechanism in between the waring sections in Somali politics.
However, this system has weakened the unity of the country and promoted clan identity more than national identity. It became clear that this system is incapable to promote legitimacy and accountability to the public. Similarly, it didn’t promote the expectations of the Somali people and provided nothing in relation to the basic public service to the people. Quite the opposite, it developed individual narrow self-serving interests, widespread corruption and clandestine authoritarianism which emerged as a result of that.
Hence, the current president, Hassan sheikh Mahamood came with idea of direct popular vote for politicians or anyone who is going to run for public office in Somalia. The central argument of the current government evolves on ideas of the social contract theory, the people should decide who will lead and manage the government by one-man one vote, rather than selection of leaders by a few traditional elders.
Wirtten by: Omar Ahmed Malin