Somalia: Mideeye party on brink of collapse amid internal wrangles

GAROWE, Puntland - Puntland's Mideeye party is facing a mass exodus of its senior members, it has now emerged, which could significantly affect its operations within the state, just a few months to local elections which are expected to kick off in October this year.

Mideeye party is one of nine political outfits registered by the Puntland Transitional Electoral Commission [TPEC], which has the mandate to approve political parties in the northern state, which is preparing for universal suffrage local polls.

The party was constituted by the Central Committee, and it has a chairperson and Executive Committee. The party's constitution states that the founders are key pillars of the party and are generally protected as proprietors, thus making them "defacto" leaders.

According to the party's constitution, adherence to the laid down rules besides the fact that founding members and members of the various councils of the association have a responsibility and responsibility to protect and sustain the association in order to achieve the founding principles of the association.

Further, the constitution states that members of the political unity needed to maintain public interest, and develop special alongside prohibiting self-interest in the affairs of the Union, on top of resolving disputes within or outside the Organization through dialogue, mutual understanding, and mutual respect.

But for the last nine months, the Union has been embroiled in a controversy over these principles that the elected board of the Union has failed to implement, leading to escalation of the conflict, that would permanently damage the gains of the party.

For some time, members of the founding members of the association, both in the diaspora and at home, have dedicated their time and days to Mideeye trying to find a solution to this conflict; however, it was not possible to chair the Union, a statement from disgruntled members read.

And this has now contributed to mass exodus of 23 senior members, who filed a complaint with TPEC and raised a litany of issues that could compel them to permanently quit from the party as they seek to pursue their political agendas elsewhere.

The Puntland Constitution (Q.114) and the TPEC Act (Q.5, paragraph 2) stipulate that if an association disagrees, TPEC can make a decision, four months after filing the complaint, that would determine the fate of disgruntled members.

To this effect, the disgruntled members said, the response from TPEC failed to solve issues of contestation, adding that "we have today, 10 July 2021, resigned from the Union and its Central Committee". The statement comes months to local elections.

Among those who have quit the party include Mohamed Abdinur Hersi, Ahmed Ali Hashi, Ali Haji Warsame, Abdnasir Osman Cuuke, Mohamed Yusuf lsse, Mohamed Osman Ali-maad, Sharmarke Sh. Dahir Warsame, Abdi Ahmed Abdulle - Waranjaan, Mohamed Ali Jama, Abdi Hersi Ali-Qarjab, Abshir Aideed Abdullahi and Abdirashid Abdullahi Ahmed.

Others are Abdulkadir Yasin Abdulle-Qodax, Muse Ali Birmil, Ubah Hashi Farah (Cambar), Mohamed Farah Nuh, Abdikarim Hussein Guure, Ali Mohamed Dirir, Abdiweli Ali Taar, Abdirizak Mohamed Mohamud, Abdille Hassan Mohamud-Qoryaliqe, Hussein Abdullahi Khalif, and Mohamed Hoosh lndhacadde.

TPEC has been registering voters in several areas within Puntland ahead of local elections, and the exit of the 23 Mideeye party members could narrow the chances of the outfit in the upcoming elections. The approval of the party is part of Puntland's efforts to push for democracy in the region.

GAROWE ONLINE