(28-05-23) MOGADISHU – Sunday’s revelations from the National Consultative Council (NCC) about the future political landscape of Somalia have elicited a flurry of mixed reactions. The NCC’s ambitious plan, which includes a significant reformation of the electoral process, has been met with a blend of scepticism and outright rejection, stirring up a political maelstrom across the nation.
Afyare A Ellmi, Executive Director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, expressed concern over the monumental decisions made by the NCC. He stressed that these changes, significant and numerous, demand a consensus between various national bodies. “These are big decisions made by several leaders. The leaders are required to satisfy both the central government councils and regional government councils. The opposition and the civil society, who have a significant stake in these matters, also have a point of view.”
In stark contrast to Elmi’s cautious approach, former Prime Minister and Puntland President Abdiwali Mohamed Ali (Gas) outrightly rejected the proposed changes. He questioned the viability of such ambitious reforms, given Somalia’s current socio-political climate. He decried the revelation from Villa Somalia, labelling it unacceptable and implausible.
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, another former Prime Minister, likened the NCC’s move to the actions of previous military regimes. He voiced concern that the NCC might be heading in a direction reminiscent of times when democratic systems were suspended and a one-party system reconstituted. “This may only add toxicity to our political environment,” he warned.
MP Omar Hashi joined the chorus of dissent, lamenting that the NCC’s decisions effectively mutilate the provisional federal constitution. He underscored the critical changes proposed by the NCC, including the abolishment of the Prime Minister’s office, a grouping of all eligible voters into two unnamed parties, and the extension of the term for all Federal Member State (FMS) Chiefs.
Another Member of Parliament, Mursal M Khaliif, dismissed the new electoral system as a poorly disguised extension that could plunge Somalia into a new era of political instability. He stressed the plan’s incongruity with the Provisional Constitution and urged a return to the drawing board to determine a constitutional path towards universal suffrage without an extension.
Abdirashid Hashi, a researcher and Somalia analyst, went a step further to assert that the NCC’s proposals essentially revisit the entire post-civil war political settlement. He underlined the enormity of such a decision, which requires constitutional amendments and broad political consensus to implement.
The critical feedback and expert disapproval of the NCC’s revelations underscore the precarious position Somalia finds itself in. As Somalia sails this tumultuous political sea, the need for broader consensus, stringent legal scrutiny, and thoughtful policy-making has never been more pressing. It remains to be seen how these monumental changes will unfold and their potential impact on Somalia’s future.
