EDITORIAL (Halbeeg News) – Close to two decades, the successive governments had been trying to fulfil the dream to hold one man one vote elections in Horn of Africa nation but the country is still struggling to materialize the plan.
2017 elections, Somalia took one step forward by coming up with modality where 14,000 electoral delegates chose the current parliament and the incumbent president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo unlike the previous election in the 2012 where only 135 clan elders were given the power to select the MPs.
This week, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo assented elections bill which is expected to lead the country to its first all participated elections in over four decades.
Plan was to hold universal suffrage participated by all people in 2020 but now the questions are, which modality is suitable for next election? Will it be indirect poll in which the electoral delegates would participate? If it happens that, then obvious that means the ambition of public to be called off for four more years. Or, is there possibility to hold the long waited one man one vote elections.
Two possible views about upcoming elections
There are two parallel views about the elections expected to take place later this year which is litmus test for the current leaders of the Government.
The first one, despite the challenges and obstacles the country is facing now, the leaders of this government have to organize an election without delay.
The other perspective is, the country’s political stakeholders to hold consultative meeting to decide the fate of nation and set plan for suitable time to hold the long waited general elections. The perspectives have their own merit and demerits.
The merit of first perspective
The first perspective seems to be solution for the recurring political crisis and concerns expressed by the opposition individuals as it proposes the elections to take place on time, no matter what modality is implemented. But the move has its own disadvantage, for instance, it is an indication that the country has failed to hold universal suffrage in 20 years as there are challenges including insecurity and terror controlled areas in the country.
And remarkably, it is clear that Somali people who had not been participate general elections will have to wait for another four years to see if universal suffrage could take place in the country.
The other demerit, if new individuals win the elections, the country’s political atmosphere will have new phase and the time of the new leadership will be spent on reframing the administration thus the roadmap for the universal suffrage will get delayed once again and the opposition at the time will start claiming the office holders to be replaced. The process will continue to be in such recycle way.
Second alternative option
The option which is just to sacrifice all for the materialization of one man one vote makes happy the public and if this alternative is given the first priority, then it has number of advantages and disadvantages. By doing so and implementing the newly approved law, the country will get its first democratically elected leaders and all Somalis will get chance to participate the decision making of their country.
To make it happen, the country’s stakeholders including the leaders of federal and state governments and leaders of political parties should came together at negotiating table to decide good time for it.
The sides should also discuss ways to resolve their differences and form inclusive government which steers the country towards universal suffrage. By discussing the topic well will pave the way for realisation of the universal suffrage.
Reaching inclusive agreement between the stakeholders will bring solution to end imminent political crisis and give chances the opposition to come closer the government or be part of it.
The reason why the later perspective is preferred than the first one is, it slates time for the upcoming elections which is inclusively decided by the stakeholders and its implementation will be worked on by the sides.
Concrete dialogue
Late last year, a covert meeting between the incumbent leaders and some of opposition politicians focused on commonly agreed method to implement the second perspective. The sides consulted on the ways to share power until general elections is held. According to sources privy to the meeting, the sides disagreed over how the power sharing is being implemented.
Therefore, concrete discussion to focus on the way forward is necessary. To implement the newly signed elections law, it is necessary the government to get enough time to materialize it thus the government leaders and the opposition parties’ leaders should agree on the time and how one man one vote elections could be held.
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