Opposition sent us Notification, instead of permit request, as law stipulates
THT- Interior Minister Hon. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed said that the notice of intent to hold public rallies sent to the ministry by the opposition parties Waddani and Ucid does not meet the legal requirements to apply for the licenses to demonstration, and that the letter from opposition parties did not specify a date, venue or purpose to hold their rally.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Saturday 28th May 2022 Hon. Kahin stated, “Opposition chairmen Hon Faisal and Hon Hirsi, didn’t come to my office, to discuss the issue, but the letter was brought to me by members of the opposition”, he said, adding, “I received a letter from the chairmen of the opposition parties informing us on intentions holding Somaliland rescue demonstration.
“First of all, the Somaliland Constitution allows and sets out the conditions for holding it”, he said.
“The letter was carried by three members. My reply was that we need the Chairmen who wrote the letter, and talk about it in the office here and discuss the issue reasonably”, he noted.
The law states that the application of the demonstration must specify the purpose of the protest, the venue, and the date of the protest.
“The letter that reached my office was in notification prose, but the law requires that a protest permit must be applied for”, he underpinned.
The opposition letter, he said, has not specified individuals in the itinerary or groups holding the rally nor specified the venue. He said that not even the date and time of holding the rally was mentioned as the Public Order law stipulates.
He lamented that it was unfortunate that prior to the opposition’s notification letter reaching his office, it was already published on all the parties’ social media sites, “which is against the normal procedures of requesting holding of rallies, and that was the reason I requested to meet their leaders”.
Issues attributed to their protests include inflation.
“The shilling has not changed in recent years, local produce prices have not changed, the only thing that has happened is inflation, and as a government we acknowledge is the price of all imported goods, and that isn’t the government or traders’ fault, but that has become more expensive all over the world because of the wars”, he said.
Hon. Kahin stated Somaliland as a modern nation started prior to 1991, and the long struggle to free the tyrant from Somaliland populace, thus thousands lost their lives, hence “we do not know who will be protected from Somaliland today if anarchy sets in”.
Demonstrations are permitted to be held in certain areas, while, on the other hand not allowed to be held in markets, city centres, hospitals areas, etc.
Lastly, Hon Kahin stated still his request to discuss the matter with the opposition leaders are on and he is awaiting their response,
“I call on the Somaliland public and national security agencies, until discussion of the matter reaches an understanding, to permit or deny the demonstrations, anyone who tries to hold them is against laws and the constitution of the nation, and will be held liable.
See below The Maintenance of the Public Order & Security Law – Law No 51/2012
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