Somalia Moves Closer to Functional Democracy

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’ of Somalia celebrates the country’s eradication of the polio virus. (Flick)

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’ signed into law a historic electoral reform that will allow for the country’s first popular election in more than four decades. The law, passed on February 20, marks a notable step in Somali efforts to reform the government after decades of weak central leadership.

The law will allow Somalis to vote directly for their presidential candidate of choice, whereas in the past, clan leaders chose delegates to vote for MPs on behalf of communities. The MPs then elected the next president. This new one-person-one-vote system marks a significant change in the country’s electoral structure. 

Somalia’s long-standing political makeup, known as the “4.5 System,” was established at the 2000 Arta Peace Conference. The system created a 245-seat parliament with 29 seats dedicated to minorities, 25 dedicated to women, and 49 dedicated to each of the four major Somali clans: the Dir, the Darood, the Hawiye, and the Rahanweyn. 

The Somalian government has made reforms in other areas as well. Most recently, the country has reestablished relations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, receiving developmental aid that had been suspended since 1991 as a result of widespread violence perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist organization. As part of the reforms, the African Union will decrease the size of its peacekeeping mission to Somalia by the end of the month in an effort to strengthen the central government’s sovereign powers. 

While Somalia has certainly made progress, this electoral reform falls short of eliminating parliamentary clan representation. Furthermore, it fails to significantly increase the limited seat quotas allocated to women and minorities. Halima Ismail, the head of Somalia’s National Independent Electoral Commission, said she was sure that “Parliament will put in place necessary measures to make sure women get their 30 percent of seats reserved.” Currently, women have 24 percent of seats in the parliament.

UN Special Representative James Swan highlighted the necessity for further consensus building to protect stable progress in Somalia, saying that “[f]urther impetus and consensus-building are needed to ensure that key benchmarks for elections, security and relations between the Federal Government and the Federal Member States do not fall further behind schedule.” Swan also highlighted the progress made in fiscal policy and economic stability, despite pressure from militant jihadist groups like Al-Shabab.

Despite the remaining roadblocks to political freedom and stability, authorities are optimistic about the prospects of long-term progress. 

“This night marks a historic night for our country because, after nearly 50 years, our republic and our beloved citizens will have the chance to execute their democratic rights for one man, one vote in the forthcoming 2021 elections,” said Farmaajo.