By Ahmednagashi

The Somaliland National Electoral Commission has eliminated long-standing suspicion and rumors by setting a date for the presidential and municipal elections. It proved wrong those who were insisting that the government was pushing the house of elders to extend its tenure by at least two more years.

This bold decision is commendable and boosts its credibility at a time when it faces criticism from both the opposition and the ruling party. However, the fact that a powerful minister had already announced the same date just before SLNEC made its decision public jeopardizes its impartiality and raises questions about the extent of UDUB’s influence on the commission.

It is known that observers from Somaliland including the ruling party’s policy chief were in Nairobi to witness Kenya’s general elections late last year, which the international and local observers declared rigged elections. An allegation confirmed by commissioners of Kenya’s election body.

It is the nature of Africans’ in office to cling on the power and try hard to win any election to remain in office and our leaders are no exception. The announced election dates which seem to be dictated by the government confirm that UDUB is trying to implement what its officials had learnt from Kenya’s ruling party and is determined to win these upcoming elections come what may. Nevertheless, the question remains will UDUB be able to play its cards more clever and different way?

It is the responsibility of SLNEC to prove to the opposition parties that the political playground is leveled for all to compete fairly. The commissioners need to take into account that the public is already skeptical about their independence and asking on the onset what will bar the ruling party to pressure SLNEC to doctor overall results to favor its candidates since the commission already accepted the date set by UDUB. They have to know it is their decisions that will record their names in the golden books of history or dump them into the dark side.

UDUB, should also revise its campaigns and come up with something that is acceptable to the electorate rather than its most senior members resort to divide our people on clan basis. They should understand how their disgusting comments, which they intend to defend president Rayale, could distance him from the electorate.

It is also very unfortunate that the government accuse the opposition instantly before even thorough investigations are carried out on the recent incidents. This is a clear indication that those who are pretending to be president Rayale’s political wings are actually undermining him. They have portrayed the national party UDUB as a party of the president’s clan and those of few members in his cabinet, thus discrediting the party.