Hargeisa -SL (Cabays Media) – The Waddani opposition party of Somaliland has called its supports for country wide protests today. This comes after the ruling government party,  UCID and Waddani opposition parties failed to secure a deal on the date the national elections can be held in next year.

In secretive talks all three Somaliland political parties had in the last few days resulted failure after the chairman of both Waddani party and the Somaliland’s house of parliament withdrew talks and changed his mind in the last minute before a deal confirming the all party acceptance of delaying the national elections until November 15th 2016 was sealed.

The chairmen of the ruling party, Muse Bihi and UCID chairman, Faysal Ali Warabe who spoke to the media on Friday after the secret talks collapsed and blamed chairman Abdirahman Erro of Waddani party for walking out the talks in the last minute and refusing to sign the agreements they reached in consultative talks securing one year and half of extension for the ruling government that failed to keep its promise to not follow the footsteps of its predecessor it used to criticize for failing to hold elections on time.

The fallout between the ruling party and the Waddani  opposition party has resulted the call for national protest against any attempts by the Upper House of Guurti granting extension term beyond June 2016 for the current Somaliland government.

On Sunday the Waddani party vice chairman called upon its supporters to take the streets and show their disapproval of any move allowing the government to gain term extension contradicting the National Election Commission’s set date for elections on 26th of June 2016.

His call was quickly responded with dismissal from the interior minister, Mr Ali Waranade who vowed that his government will not allow any protests or rallies against the government to take place at all. Mr Waranade who has reputation in cracking down oppositions by sending armed police to disperse any anti government protesters has also promises that his government will be tough on anyone who tries to take the streets in protest.

The interior minister also called upon the citizens not come out and protest. But there are reports saying both the government and Waddani party have last night (Sunday night) campaigned for and against protest, and Waddani party leaders reached out the big cities’ youth and high school students asking them to come out for protest they feel they can stop the Upper House of Guurti in granting illegal extension term for the troubled government.

The reports coming from Hargeisa say number of Waddani protest organisers are arrested and others the police are searching in the city where they are evading police arrest.

Hargeisa streets are deployed with most feared special police force unit called Rapid Response Unit – better known RRU and they being doing vehicle search and the people they suspect for organising protest for Waddani party.

It is today which all Somalilanders at home and abroad are their eyes and ears closely follow what happens if Waddani party manages to organise huge protests in all major cities and how the Kulmiye government responses since last protest innocent young mum, a bread winner for a large family was killed  in Burao town by the bullets sprayed on unarmed protesters angered by the attempt made by the Siilaanyo administration in removing Waddani party from the chairmanship of the Somaliland parliament.

There is a showdown between Waddani and Kulmiye government over the current disputed extension term while UCID party turned its self as spectator asking its supporters to stay away from the politically motivated insubordination by Waddani party. This showdown is test to both parties that can’t agree on a simple election date.

Let us hope no more innocent lives will be wasted in what appeared to be political showdown between powered thirsty individuals  who have no regard of the people of Somaliland and their hard earned peace and the good name in the troubled region.

Cabays Media staff

London, UK

Follow