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Somaliland's Supreme Court has a very difficult task at hand. After both the political parties of UDUB and KULMIYE decided to contest the April 14 presidential election result in court, the Supreme Court as the constitutionally mandated final arbiter has to adjudicate this controversial case. Somalilanders of course hope that the 7 Supreme Judges will be equal to the task of upholding Justice. But with the election results being very close, handling this case and ultimately reaching a decision will, at least from a judicial point of view, be a tremendous challenge for our judges. One thing however is certain. Either UDUB's Dahir Rayale or KULMIYE's Ahmed Sillanyo will be president. But regardless of which one of the two emerges as winner, Somaliland's next president and the entire democratic political process will be confronted with some harsh realities.
The presidential poll has failed to produce a significant majority for either party. Each one polled 42 percent and the runner-up is expected to lose only by a numerically illegible decimal point, with 16% going to UCID party, the third party in the contest. A government formed by the sole winning party will not have a mandate from the majority.
One of the options consistently floated since the election, has been a call for the formation of a coalition government by the winning party with the two other parties. However, at this early stage of our democratic process and with political parties still too weak in organizational and financial terms, their inclusion in one government may have negative consequences for the evolving multi-party political system in the country. The potential danger is that whichever party leading the coalition government might try to decimate the two other parties. Besides, the country will need at least one main functioning political opposition party for the sake of improving the government's public effectiveness and accountability.
Another major problem is that the parliament, which is where the opposition is supposed to exercise its role, is not due for elections before 2005. These un-elected legislators have recently renewed their tenure by 2 and 3 years for members of the Lower House and The Upper House (Guurti) respectively.
In the aftermath of the municipal and presidential elections, members of the present Parliament have already exhausted their legitimacy to remain in office any longer. A popular idea among supporters of all the 3 political parties is for the next president to call for an early parliamentary election, possibly in 6 months from now. Instead of the coalition government option, it would make more sense to begin working out for the infusion of a new blood into our declining legislative branch. An early election would create an opportunity for the citizens of this country to select their representatives in Parliament. Such an electoral process would also lead to the emergence of a more effective and sustainable opposition.
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