Somalia is edging towards its first democratic election in half a century. A one-person-one-vote election that will cost the country up to $53 million is set to hold this year under the Halima-Ismail-led Electoral Commission. President Mohamed Abdullahi signed a law in February to enable this to happen. It will replace the existing clan-based power-sharing model to enable equal representation in government.
How Voting Currently Works in Somalia
Voting in Somalia takes place through an indirect suffrage system where a set of 14,000 electors or clan delegates representing different political groups or organizations elect lawmakers into office. The lawmakers then, in turn, elect a president. This clan-based election system has been widely criticized for marginalizing young people, women and ethnic minorities.
Somalia’s Political History
Somalia’s last universal vote was held in 1969, shortly before the coup that brought military leader Siad Barre to power. Upon taking office he outlawed all extant political parties till regime was ousted in 1991 giving way to autonomous or semi-autonomous regional states in the northern part of the country and feuding militia groups in the south. After several unsuccessful attempts at national reconciliation, a Transitional Federal Government was formed in 2004. The tenure of the TFG ended in 2012 and the Federal Government of Somalia was formed through a vote in which the president was elected by a parliament that had been picked by 135 elders.
Why This Matters
2016 should have been the year of universal voting for Somalia but due to security concerns, they could not take place. However, these concerns remain as Al Shabab fighters still control some parts of the country. The Head of the electoral commission has said except there is a clear direction on the state of security, then the elections cannot hold. “Without security, you cannot conduct an election. We are doing now the verification of the voter registration centres and we want that our security sectors sit together and see where it is safe where it is not safe,” The challenge could even be bigger as the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops are planning to cut down their presence in the country due to external funding considerations. This can further empower the Al-Shabab group and other clan-based structures. So far, over 1000 soldiers have been withdrawn.
While there has been significant progress like the mass registration of political parties, some critics argue that the Somalia Government is not ready for the vote due to reasons like short timing, lack of capacity and experience and countrywide presence as most of its powers are only domiciled in Mogadishu and limited districts within the area. Somalia has not had a central government since 1991. This is due to the autonomy system that has been in existence for over a decade and the stronghold of Al-Shabab on Somalia.
Somalia needs more than just political will to achieve this democratic milestone.
