THE NATIONAL DEBATE 2017: SOMALILAND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DEBATE (SPED)

The Somaliland national presidential election candidates’ debate coined SPED (Somaliland Presidential Election Debate) by the organizers Inspire Group; a young, pulsating and visionary team, was held last Thursday night at Maansoor Hotel in Hargeisa, the Republic of Somaliland. The debate, the first of its kind in the country, started little bit shaky with little petty arguments broken between volunteers and other collaborators at the beginning, but soon reconciled all issues to carry on conducting a successful function. The atmosphere was vibrant and excitement rose as time for the live debate neared. The arena was well prepared with an elegantly dressed stage. It was filled with many dignitaries; politicians, media personnel, sponsors, volunteers, and other invited guests. Not many people knew what to expect, after all this is the first of its kind and predicting outcomes will be feeble and unrealistic. The historic function of Somaliland’s firs ever national debate for the presidential candidate of 2017 was launched.

All of a sudden and after the organizers requested silence (no clapping and no laughter), everything fell silent. The introduction was made by SPED organizers and the three candidates; Muse Bihi Abi, Chairman and president candidate of Kulmiye party, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi, Chairman and president candidate of Waddani party, and Faisal Ali Waraabe, the Chairman and president candidate of UCID party, were welcomed onto the stage. All three candidates were welcomed to their allocated podiums and informed about debate procedures. Moderator Ali Ahmed Raabi, one of the two Somaliland born moderators, other moderator been Mohamed Ilig, kick started the debate questions prepared, prior to the debate night by academics and journalists.

The format of the debate questions was; each candidate was given five minutes to tell the audience and the voters why he and his political program should be voted for. After that, a series of questions and follow-up questions were asked with 2 minutes and one minute, respectively.This was a Western style national debate and all three candidates nodded to the ground rules and questioning format.

As protocoled by the Somaliland National Election Committee (NEC), the debate questions, which included inflation, minority groups rights, media rights, human rights, judiciary independence, unemployment, economic and development; international investment, environment; droughts, security, foreign relations, recognition and government capacity and seats allocation, were started with UCID, the shadow party of the Republic of Somaliland, and it was addressed to Chairman Faisal. The questions and the questioned candidates rotated as planned with each candidate making most of his two minutes and the one minute follow-up question time. All three candidates dressed very stylishly and well composed answered their questions coherently. At times you will think they were too appropriate and polite to believe these three gentlemen are competing for the nation’s highest post; the nation’s Commander in Chief.

There were times when humor was induced by Chairman Faisal Ali Warabe to brush his competitors’ egos, other times they will praise each other’s good traits and capabilities. But, most of the time they were attacking on failures ad shortcomings of each other; Chairman Muse Bihi to Chairman Abdirahaman Irro, “you have spent 12 years as the Speaker of the Parliament and you have passed just 12 Laws, and that is a great failure of a leader”. Chairman Faisal added salt to that would and said Chairman Irro was not the diplomat he, often, claims but a mere “secretary” to an another ambassador. Faisal accused Chairman Muse on depending others intellect and in forming a government, and warned that these men (academics and intellectuals) will eventually leave him and he will fail than. Chairman Irro stated that Chairman Muse’s highest post was ministerial and lacks experience in leadership skills, consequently. Both Chairman Irro and Chairman Muse Bihi claimed that Chairman Faisal is destined for failure as he has failed one too many presidential elections.

The debate never got to a frenzied level, but carried on consistently, modestly and politely. Having said that, it is widely observed that Chairman Faisal Ali was winning the hearts and minds of the people of Somaliland with his bigger dreams and vision for this nation. He used his time well to sell ideas that I can only perceive as fantastic and something a Finish, which is Faisal’s second nationality, politician will campaign for. Chairman Faisal claimed many things including his great connection with Social Parties in the world and how he possesses thousands of business cards, which, if elected, he can turn to gold (potential investors). Chairman Irro tried to emulate Faisal’s claims and played his [diplomatic] card whenever he talk about foreign affairs. Irro focused on foreign affairs and claimed to know how to, finally, achieve that much needed international recognition. While, Chairman Muse inclined less on foreign relations and more on domestic affair where he promised to create more opportunities within the country and increase, greatly, our local production and jobs, “I will take jobs to nomads where they can generate more income by working as laborers building roads and dams while herding their animals in the nearby postures”. The Chairman emphasized a lot on cultivating the land to reduce poverty and increase the value of the Somaliland Shilling.

Millions of Somali speaking audiences tuned to the debate’s live coverage by Somali owned TV channels and via social networks like Twitter and Facebook where #SomalilandDebates was trending with nearly 3 million followers on Twitter alone. The hype of viewers was real and the Republic of Somaliland succeeded to be the first nation, as small and unrecognized as it is, to portray such maturity in democracy and held the continent’s first televised and widely viewed national debate for presidential candidates.

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