By Faisal Roble

Region-based Alternative Model to “Enhanced Legitimacy: Hybrid Option Election”

In view of the fact that the Somali government failed to meet the Compact’s PSG 1: Priority 3, which anticipated that the country “prepare for and hold credible elections by 2016,” Villa Somalia has recently circulated a concept paper for 2016 election. (See “Enhanced Legitimacy: Hybrid Option”); Villa Somalia’s paper proposes yet another 4.5 clan-based system of election. Accepting this model is tantamount to perpetuating the failed state of Somalia, thus the region-based alternative.

I. Positive Attributes of Region-based Model

Despite inherent lack of clan diversities exhibited by Somali regions, following are comments on some of the positive attributes of this proposal which seeks to boldly move away the country from the current clan-based to a more region-based election option:

1. A region-based system of election is consistent with the spirit of the Draft Somali Federal Constitution.

2. The region-based alternative model of holding elections in 2016 is based on the concept of rebuilding the country’s governance based on 18 pre-civil war regions.

3. Given some painful [prescriptive] recommendations advanced in this proposal, the complete endorsement by all groups is a key to implementing the contents of this model. If all parties were to agree with this model, there is the likelihood that the questions of GalMudug and “Sool-Sanaag (Khatumo)” states could be tackled.

II. Guiding Principles

1. No extension will be granted to the existing MPs and to the President and the one-man-one-vote will not take place. A region-based alternative system of election/selection may be more practical.

2. Federal Entities (Somaliland and Puntland) and Interim Jubbaland Administrations (IJA), Interim Southwest Administration (ISW), Interim GalMudug Administration (IGM), Hiiraan/Shabelle will serve as the building blocks for this model.

3. Each regional entity’s representation will be weighed based on the number of pre-civil war regions that it contains: Puntland 4.5 (Puntland can be approach with more than one option – see below); Somaliland 3; Southwest 3; Jubbaland 3; Hiiraan/Shabelle 2; GalMudug 1.5 , and Mogadishu 1.0.

4. Stakeholders shall agree that the country move away from the current 4.5 clan-based state building format into a regionally-based MP allocation; geography-based electorate will replace clan representation.

5. Parties will field their candidates based on their respective strategies and tactics, and not necessarily stick to clan membership of candidates.

6. Candidates can run both at their local and at the national level.

7. Traditional elders will be consulted, but existing regional administrations will act as legitimization authority.

8. Each regional government will ensure equitable representation of different social groups (women, minorities) within its jurisdiction.

READ MORE: A PRELIMINARY CONCEPT PAPER FOR DISCUSSION TO CHART A ROAD TO A POSSIBLE 2016 ELECTION

Faisal Roble
WardheerNews contributor
Email: faisalroble19@gmail.com