Somaliland Parliamentary squabble sinks to a new low, tribalism

Hargeisa- Somaliland’s lower house Wakiilo are currently embroiled in a  feud that lead to a show down between the opposition party Wadani and the ruling party Kulmiye and it could possible cost the speaker his post.

Somaliland security forces are seen at the parliament building today, where the parliamentarians are expected to hold an agenda setting meeting.

The parliaments agenda items is expected to include a confidence vote on the speaker’s ability to lead Somaliland’s house of representatives.

The tension between the supporters of the Speaker Abdirahman Ciro including elders from his clan and Kulmiye supporters had escalated to tribal show down.

The tension stems from a long standing feud between the Speaker and the ruling party deputies whom the speaker down graded their powers, coupled with recently drafted election legislation.

The ruling party Kulmiye and its supporters accuse the Speaker of the house medaling and forging some of the language of the drafted legislation from president Ahmed Silanyo.

While Wadani supporters are accusing the president dragging his feet on the presidential election, which Mr.  Ciro is a challenger.

The show down is on and it is not just politics anymore, it seems personal and there could be immanent danger if cooler heads do not prevail.

The tension seems to have escalated to a tribal one rather then a constitutional debate. Somaliland is to held a parliamentary and presidential elections mid next year.

Somaliland negated from a union with Somalia in 1991, despite developments in all sectors including peace building and institutional structure the international community fell short in recognizing it as a nation.

SDN-Hargeisa

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