Somaliland Elects New President ! - updated

This post brought some bitter denunciations. Except for one duplication, I have posted them. I do not blog from work so there was nothing I could do about it all day.

The protests assert that the original claim is not true, that All Voices is not a reputable source of information, that we should research before posting, and it was thus a very irresponsible post. There were comments on my character but that does not matter. What matters is that we not share falsehoods. Strong opinions are fine; falsehoods are not.

I want to thank Essi and Faisel A. for their constructive comments. They are appreciated. Yusuf wants me to hang myself and I am disinclined to follow his advice. The updated version of this post will be shared with my FB friends.

This evening I reviewed articles on Somaliland's new president and saw nothing even hinting that he might be gay. I have no access to demonstrative evidence in either direction but I accept the criticism that what I posted may well not be true and I have no interest in slandering the president nor causing him or the people of Somaliland problems. I was not trying to be sensational, merely sharing what I thought was good news. I have no interest in the personal lives of any heads of state.

So, let us turn toward the substantive issues:

The people and leaders of Somaliland are to be congratulated.

Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, the victor of recent elections in the breakaway republic of Somaliland, was sworn in as president on Tuesday, achieving a transfer of power between political rivals that is rare in Africa.

Only three states on the African mainland – Benin, Senegal and Zambia – have seen incumbent presidents stand down after being defeated in elections. Unrecognised internationally as a separate state, Somaliland has developed its own democratic traditions without outside pressure.

The circumstances of the handover, which saw Dahir Rayale Kahin bow out as president after being defeated in elections deemed by international observers to have been largely free and fair, are all the more remarkable for their contrast with neighbouring Somalia.

--Financial Times

AFP shares this:

Many voters and politicians have voiced hope that the smooth transfer of power would once again prove their democratic credentials and strengthen their territory's case for international recognition.

Some Western countries argue Somaliland deserves to become a fully-fledged country and thus gain access to more aid but the African Union is wary of setting a precedent they fear could spur secessions across the continent.

Challenges facing Somaliland are described in the VOA article on the successful democratic transition.

Somaliland Press describes the swearing in of the new cabinet.

All of this is a cause of rejoicing.

It would be nice if folks noticed that I concluded with a prayer for the peace and good leadership of the land. We wish its people well and that is the bottom line as this space is dedicated, in part, to international understanding and cooperation. The larger point is that democratic elections were successfully held and a fledgling nation that has yet to receive global recognition is making progress.

In this space, however, references to individuals as being gay or lesbian is not considered pejorative in any sense, nor insulting. So this was hardly meant to demean anyone. To quote the motto of the Order of the Garter: "honi soit qui mal y pense."

The Newly Elected President Of Somaliland ,Mr Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo has never shied away from, nor made an issue of, his sexual orientation. He has been with his partner for 27 years and they have three adopted children. The newly-elected president of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo, vowed Friday to campaign "vigorously" for international recognition of his breakaway republic in the Horn of Africa."During my tenure as president I will vigorously fight for the recognition of Somaliland. The world must recognise our democracy," he said and Mr Silanyo also said that he would maintain close links with Ethiopia and called on Somalia to sort out its problems. Mr Silanyo From 1946 to 1957, he attended the secondary schools in the towns of Sheekh and Amud in northwestern Somalia. He passed the advanced level GCE examinations in London, England, from 1958 to 1960. He then attended college at the University of Manchester, and earned an Honors Bachelor's Degree in Economics (1960-63). He completed his Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Manchester in 1966. Somaliland is a state located in the Horn of Africa. It is regarded internationally as being an autonomous region of Somalia Although no sovereign state has recognised the independence of Somaliland, Since 1991 it has been governed by a secessionist administration .The breakaway republic, which declared its independence on May 18, 1991,remains unrecognised by any state or international organisation.
--AllVoices
[Note: I cannot attest for the truth of anything in this quoted paragraph.]

The Wikipedia article on Somaliland may be found here.


May his land be kept in peace, may he be safe and blessing blessed in providing good leadership.

h/t to Lindy and Jane pointing this out on Facebook

--the BB