By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Republic of Somaliland is currently enjoying multi-faceted achievements thus devoid of the need for holding any national consultations.
This was informed by the presidential spokesperson Ahmed Suleiman Duhul through an audio message availed the local press ele3ctronically from the presidency in which he also said that only the head of state has the constitutional mandate to organize and hold any national consultations and that only during emergencies perceived to be detrimental to the wellbeing of the republic of Somaliland.
“Though national consultation is an important aspect of our nation, the country is enjoying unprecedented serenity thus the inappropriateness of the proposed national consultation conference” Duhul.
The presidential spokesperson was reacting to the announcement by the three national political parties of Kulmiye, UCID and Wadani on their negotiated agreement to hold a national consultation conference moderated by the Academy for Peace and Development-APD a few days ago.
While acknowledging the right of political parties to conduct and hold separate or joint discussions Suleiman Duhul the Somaliland Presidential Spokesperson said such parley can only take place if it pertains to issues that are preserve of politicians as opposed to national consultations that are the sole preserve of the government.
According to Duhul Political parties can hold relevant discussions whether they are on elections or such matters at any time but currently the state is of the view that requirements efforts should be concentrated on issues that are geared towards enhancing sustainable livelihoods among Somaliland citizens
While the joint announcement by the Ruling Kulmiye and opposition UCID and Wadani political parties had put to an end the political acrimonious that had been generated by the National Consultation and Rectification Council plans to hold the national conference, the sentiments by the presidential spokesperson were an echo of similar ones earlier in the day by the Attorney General Suleiman Idle and Kulmiye party chief Musa Bihi.
According to the Attorney General the three national political parties that include Ruling Kulmiye have no legal rights to hold the proposed National Consultation conference and to be moderated by the Academy for Peace and development.
In an interview with the Somali service of the voice of America the Attorney General said, “The ruling Kulmiye party is legally a political body that has no legal basis to represent the government whose composition is made up of the president, vice president and the council of ministers”
In Elaboration of this though AG Suleiman Idle informed that the ruling party of Kulmiye does not constitute the executive arm, of government nor can it, Kulmiye purport to represent the government at any forum because it is only a vassal that shares the same political thoughts with those in Government within a democratic country like Somaliland.
Meanwhile the Chairman of the Ruling Kulmiye party Musa Bihi who was part and parcel of the tripartite agreement by the three national political parties to jointly convene the national consultative conference under the facilitation of the Academy for peace has made a drastic about turn through an announcement that nothing of the sort was agreed.
Speaking to the press in his party’s Hargeisa offices Musa Bihi said the only arrangements made included discussion on the
way forward as pertains to discussions on presidential and parliamentary elections slated for 2015.
It remains to be seen what action the two opposition parties of UCID and Wadani plus the their silent driver on the national consultation symposium National consultation and Rectification Forum will react as per the unfolding drama from the stand taken by the administration and ruling political party Kulmiye whose chairman Musa Bihi was a signatory to the tripartite agreement
