By Sayid Mohamed Ahmed Gurey
The long delayed Somali Federal elections continues to be marred by mass irregularities and malpractices as the process is increasingly being hi-jacked by reactionary, state and non-state actors of all stripes including Federal and State entities, the deep state, security and intelligence agencies, ex-warlords, clan barons, business racketeers, freelance profiteers, and even familial dynasties. Rigged elections, erstwhile referred to as electoral fraud is the illegal interference with the polling process, either by increasing the vote share of favored candidates, depressing the vote share of rival candidates or both.
The barring of bonafide aspirants from contesting is also a common feature of rigged elections. Vote rigging has become rampant in the ongoing Federal elections casting a dark shadow over the overall legitimacy of the democratic process.
Contemporary political theorists define democracy as a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Some scholars view democracy as “political competition through periodic elections, others see it as citizen participation, while another view posits that democracy is a process by which power changes hands peacefully without violence or force[1].” Concretely, legitimate electoral processes are considered as one of the cornerstones of any given democracy, nascent or advanced.
Electoral malpractice generally refers to an instance where “acceptable norms and principles that confer credibility on elections are desecrated; and in their place duplicity, falsehood, manipulation and cheating by any means are deployed to sway the outcome of elections.[2]” It is further defined as ‘illegalities committed by government, officials responsible for the conduct of elections, political parties, groups or individuals with sinister intention to influence an election in favour of select candidates.”[3]
In Somalia’s chaotic electoral landscape, hyper polarization, gerrymandering, state violence and assault on democracy have de-legitimized the entire process. The deployment of special federal forces and paramilitary units in certain regional states is aimed at scuttling the democratic process through the use of state violence and intimidation in bid to install hand-picked, Villa Somalia endorsed corrupt candidates who are filling up the roster of incoming “elected” members of the House of the People (HOP). These include tainted politicians linked to plunder of public coffers, as well as military and intelligence officials, and ex-warlords implicated in human rights abuses and murder. On the other hand, Federal Member States’ leaders are circumventing the process by orchestrating the illegal selection of dubious “representatives” to serve their own political agenda.
In a potentially wild-west system that has gone haywire, non-state actors appear to have dented the state’s monopoly on electoral rigging as clan barons, shady elements within the business class and dynastic families are jostling for power using their influence to illegally install their own protégés, clansmen, family members and relatives in elective offices. In many instances across the country, state and non-state power brokers have sidelined vetted clan delegates, forcefully enlisting the services of bogus electors in last- ditch efforts to enthrone selected, inept candidates. If the ongoing electoral malpractices go unchecked, Somalia will end up with a chaotic, lawless, bandit parliament dominated by erratic political goons who will deal a death knell to Somalia’s nascent democracy.
The electoral landscape is littered with mortal dangers that pose an existential threat to Somalia’s sovereignty and national security. The flawed, deeply manipulated and compromised faltering process can virtually wipe out all the painstaking gains made to restore the rule of law over the last three decades, spelling further doom for Somalia. A skewed voting process that relies on money, violence, intimidation, arm-twisting and fraud to seize public office will only produce a class of undesirables, failed and recycled politicians bent on undermining the path to democracy and stability, technically rendering parliamentary functions obsolete.
Disturbingly, the Somali people are victims of what Juno-Award winning reggae superstar, Lazo Johnfin calls “politricks” a phenomenon of dirty and unethical politicking, characterized by dishonesty, self-interest and driven by the use of underhand methods to achieve political ends that are self-serving, nepotistic, divisive, and contemptible.
Over the years Somalis have rightfully blamed foreign interference in the internal affairs of the country for all its domestic and security woes. With distant detractors taking a back seat and next-door culprits like Ethiopia bogged-down in a civil war and Kenya grappling with a tense election year of its own, it appears the usual dark forces have left Somalia to its own designs. Potentially, this year’s elections present an opportune moment for Somalia to seize the initiative and deliver democratic polls that are free and fair. If the process gets botched, Somalis have only to blame themselves this time around for a self-inflicted blow and for scuppering what should have been a seamless transition.
The consequences of electoral fraud are dire as it can weigh negatively on political legitimacy and discourage citizen participation in the process. Further, it will crown unpopular, corrupt leaders lacking accountability, responsibility, and reward kleptocracy and resultant embezzlement of public resources. It will derail national development as the instruments of government will be held by incompetent leaders unfit for national duty. Worse still, rigged elections can trigger widespread violence and social unrest. For example, the rigged 2007 Kenyan general elections unleashed deadly violence in which more than 1,100 people were killed and another 650,000 displaced bringing the country on the brink of a perpetual communal strife.[4] Only a hasty and timely intervention by the international community saved the country from the descend into a genocidal civil war.
Somalis cannot afford to sit back and let political thuggery reign with impunity. There should be calls for urgent intervention by the Somali civil society, progressive political opposition, intellectuals and faith leaders and all concerned citizens, both in the homeland and in the diaspora. The time to act is now, otherwise, lawlessness and anarchy will prevail.
Finally, Somalia is a member of the UN, AU, and IGAD, which comes with its obligations. The International Community has demonstrated unwavering support for a legitimate electoral process that adheres to established standards, conforms to the May 27, 2021, agreement and other instruments and in line with set timelines. The UN and its international partners must show willingness to punish any individuals or group of spoilers both at federal and state level, who are using the military, state power and resources to jeopardize the fragile process.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must impose strict sanctions against individuals and groups who are flagrantly undermining the transition and demand an immediate end to troop deployments that are impeding the process and are in direct violation of the recent National Consultative Council (NCC) agreement that barred the military from political engagements. To salvage the process, the International Community and its Somali partners must act fast and decisively to correct existing anomalies and steer back the process to a peaceful and successful conclusion.
Sayid Mohamed Ahmed Gurey
Email:[email protected]
——————-
References
[1] Democracy’s Victory and Crisis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. (1997) p.107.
[2] Democracy Deferred: https://www.eisa.org/pdf/JAE15.2Aluaigba.pdf
[3] ibid
[4] Human Rights Watch “Kenya: Post-Elections Killings, Abuse” https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/08/27/kenya-post-election-killings-abuse
We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com. WardheerNews will only consider articles sent exclusively. Please email your article today . Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of WardheerNews.
WardheerNew’s tolerance platform is engaging with diversity of opinion, political ideology and self-expression. Tolerance is a necessary ingredient for creativity and civility.Tolerance fuels tenacity and audacity.
WardheerNews waxay tixgelin gaara siinaysaa maqaaladaha sida gaarka ah loogu soo diro ee aan lagu daabicin goobo kale. Maqaalkani wuxuu ka turjumayaa aragtida Qoraaga loomana fasiran karo tan WardheerNews.
Copyright © 2024 WardheerNews, All rights reserved
