Ahmed Silanyo Addressed Party Supporters
Mr. Silanyo, who is widely favoured to become Somaliland’s next president, received a lengthy and rapturous applause on arrival, which stood testament to his unfaltering popularity. He dwelt briefly on the problems and challenges facing Somaliland today and said that the public’s concept of democracy had been ‘tainted’ by government’s trampling of civil rights.
“The arbitrary detentions, harassments and other intimidation tactics used by the government to suppress political dissent has tainted our democracy,” said Ahmed Silanyo.
Mr. Silanyo has pointed out that although the president never consults with the opposition leaders on national issues nonetheless the opposition parties always put the national interest above their respective interests.
“When Al-Shabab carried out suicide car bombings in Somaliland, we immediately put our political differences aside and condemned these ugly crimes” said Silanyo “Faisal [the leader of the opposition UCID party] and I went directly to see the president to show our unity against the terrorists because it was an attack on our sovereignty as an independent state”.
Mr. Silanyo took a swipe at the ruling party, UDUB, which he described as ‘not a properly constituted party’ in the legal sense because the party has no central and executive committees up until now. Strangely enough, he said, the president himself would nominate these committees. Thus, UDUB party is currently consisted of the president and his vice president only, he added.
Mr. Silanyo has launched a scathing attack on Somaliland’s Central bank, which, he said, is used as an instrument to commit acts of corruption.
He mentioned that a foreign-owned bank was opened in the country while the same rights are denied to Somaliland citizens even though it is enshrined in the constitution of the country.
Mr. Silanyo who is scheduled to address KULMIYE party supporters in Bristol next Saturday will depart for Sweden where he has received an invitation from a Swedish party.
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