New political party led by a renowned academician launched in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The race to expand democratization space in Somalia was significantly boosted on Wednesday after the latest launching of a political party, which would give people to express their desires and interests as envisaged in the Provisional Constitution of the country.

Somalia has struggled to install discipline in her key institutions over three decades after the ouster of Siad Barre, but the recent developments at least give a glimpse of hope to a country which is also bedeviled with inter-clan conflicts and the Al-Shabaab menace.

Dhulka Hooyo literally translating to "motherland" becomes the latest party in the Horn of Africa nation after its launch in Mogadishu. The party will be led by Abdirahman Moallim Ahmed alias Ablaal, a renowned academician and the founder of Schools Association for Formal Education [SAFE] in Somalia.

It's in these private schools that he has built his name and career almost making him a trademark in the education sector. The country has struggled to stamp authority in formal education due to political upheavals and civil war which have almost rendered almost government departments dysfunctional.

Abdirahman Moallim is also a renowned civil society member who is credited for pushing for the adoption of several human rights regulations in the country. The party was launched just a month to the country's elections, but the model doesn't allow the party to directly field candidates.

Among those in attendance were intellectuals, academics, civil society, and business community members who received the inauguration of the Dhulka Hooyo Party well. All speakers praised proprietors for "thinking of Somalia's future" in a ceremony that lasted for several hours.

Ablaal was the backbone of special education after the collapse of the central government in the 1990s. The Motherland Party also includes scholars, intellectuals, and sections of the Somali youth movement.
Prominent religious scholar Sheikh Abdi Haye honored to make the first speech of party opening. The party will now start rolling out registration of new members but it's not clear if it will field a presidential candidate in the much-anticipated elections which will be held in February 2021.

"Despite all the political parties we have currently, we need this party to shows us their commitment in changing Somalia to a better standard of life," said Suldan Ahmed, one of the founding members who urged Somalis to join the party by registering in numbers.

"We just don’t need to have political parties with no Agendas and we hope this party to provide to the communities they serve “Waxqabad”; not that they more than usual but what our people deserves," added Abdilatif Abdi Hirsi, another founding member of the party, which could change the country's dynamics.

The party will join opposition heavyweights led by Wadajir of Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame and the Forum for National Parties [FNP], which is a conglomerate of six opposition parties. The latter is led by former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud.

GAROWE ONLINE