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Mohamed Hussein Jama (Raambo), MP
For more than three decades, our people have built peace, democratic institutions, competitive elections, and peaceful transfers of power in one of the world’s most volatile regions. These achievements reflect the unwavering commitment and determination of Somalilanders to build a democratic nation.
We have every reason to be proud of that record. Somaliland’s democratic culture remains rare in the Horn of Africa, stands out in East Africa and compares favourably with many countries across the continent. It is not only a source of national pride; it is one of our greatest diplomatic assets and one of our strongest arguments for international recognition.
As a Somaliland Member of Parliament, I want President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi’s visit to the United States to succeed, and I have every reason to support it. International recognition is a shared national objective, pursued by all Somaliland political parties, and it must remain above partisan political differences.
I want Washington to understand why a stable and democratic Somaliland can be a valuable American partner in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. But the democratic values we proudly present abroad must also be protected at home.
Nearly two years into his presidency, President Abdullahi has yet to hold a genuinely open press conference at which independent journalists can question him about his government and, more importantly, where he intends to take the country.
According to the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA), 46 journalists have been arrested during the first 22 months of this administration, an average of more than two journalists every month.
And now, as the President departs for the United States, prominent poet Ismail Jiheeye remains in detention after publicly raising allegations concerning a dispute over his property. A journalist who interviewed him has also been detained. Both are being held without charges.
Whatever the merits of the underlying land dispute, criticism of a President, a poem or a journalist’s interview should be answered through open debate and due process, not detention. A democratically elected president should not use the power of the state against a critic or anyone with whom he is involved in a private dispute. Public office must never be used to settle personal disputes or silence criticism.
This is precisely the contradiction Somaliland must confront.
How can we ask the democratic world to value our credentials while journalists, writers and critics are detained at home?
There is another issue the President cannot leave behind when he boards the plane for Washington: growing public concern about corruption and unexplained wealth among some government officials. Somalilanders have even coined a phrase for it: “G+1”, a sarcastic reference to houses and buildings allegedly constructed by officials after taking office.
Public suspicion is not proof of guilt. But widespread allegations deserve answers, independent investigation and transparency. Where credible allegations exist, investigate them. Where officials are innocent, clear their names. Where wrongdoing is established, hold those responsible accountable.
There is also the matter of the President’s frequent, unexplained trips abroad, often last for weeks. Taxpayers fund these journeys and are entitled to know their purpose on why such extended stays are necessary, and what public benefit they deliver. The president therefore has an obligation to explain his extended visits to the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere.
We must remember that this is a poor country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Public money should be spent where it matters most, not toward luxury hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Nairobi.
Mr President, you have now travelled to the United States without explaining how long the trip will last, how much it will cost taxpayers, or what it is intended to achieve. The public has a right to know.
Mr. President, there is a simple step you can take.
Hold a real press conference. Invite Somaliland’s independent journalists. Do not pre-select their questions. You are, thus far, the only president in Somaliland’s history who has never held a press conference. This is not a distinction you want on your record. You were elected by the public and you are accountable to them.
Let journalists ask about the economy. Let them ask you about corruption and G+1. Let them ask about the 46 journalists your administration arrested. Let them ask about Ismail Jiheeye. Let them ask about your appointments, your foreign policy, your travels and where you intend to take this country.
And answer them with your hand on your heart.
Some questions will be uncomfortable. That is not a threat to democracy. That is democracy.
Then go to Washington and make Somaliland’s case strongly.
Tell US policymakers that Somaliland believes in freedom of expression after demonstrating it at home. Tell them we believe in accountability after submitting your own administration to scrutiny. Tell them Somaliland’s democracy is not merely an argument we deploy in foreign capitals, but a principle we practise within our own borders.
Those of us who raise these concerns do so not because we want Washington to think less of Somaliland, but because we want Somaliland’s democratic story to remain credible by the time it reaches Washington.
Mr. President, go to Washington and make Somaliland’s case. But before you tell Washington about our democracy, demonstrate it at home.
About the Author
Mohamed Hussein Jama (Raambo) is the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Somaliland House of Representatives, and Member of Parliament for the great region of Maroodijeeh (Hargeisa).
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions or perspectives of Somaliland Chronicle and its staff.
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