75
that their presence in their respective constituencies increase, through both frequent visits and
the establishment of local offices with staff. In particular, the vast distances members of
parliament need to travel to reach their constituencies is a major issue and lack of transport and
means to find transport through personal funds leads to members of parliament seldom visiting
their constituencies. According to one participant, “members should go back once every
month…He should go back and have an office and meet his people. That we don’t have.”
Interviewees also demonstrated a particular concern with parliament-constituent relations at the
local level and prioritized the setting up of offices and establishing the means to undertake
regular visits to constituencies in order to build trust in elected representatives.
Accountability to Policy Platforms and Constituents/ Constituent Outreach, Two-Way
Engagement and Consultation
It was felt that members of parliament need to reflect the wishes of the electorate by being able
to listen to their concerns. According to one participant, “Parliament is not that responsive to
issues… Parliament does not have the mechanisms to discuss the issues…the parliament doesn’t
say ‘what are the issues of today’, for example education. It doesn’t facilitate members of
parliament to discuss issues existing at that day.” It was explained that even when members of
parliament travel back to their constituencies it is not always positive due to high expectations
which go unmet, leading to tensions between members of parliament and constituents, creating
a disincentive to travel back to constituencies. One participant explained that constituents think
of their members of parliament as “very low” and that “we are not functioning, and we are
useless, and we using the budget and not working, just because they are not being informed.”
Another participant remarked that “they [constituents] hate us.” Lack of activity is therefore a
reason not to travel to constituencies. According to one participant, “although I am able to
travel to my constituency, I have nothing to do, so there’s no point of going back because the
authority of members of parliament in Somaliland is minimal.” Another argued that because he
was unable to solve any of the problems constituents face, “there’s no point of going back to
your constituency. Simply it will create hatred and disrespect to you the parliamentarian.
People don’t understand that being a parliamentarian you are unable to do anything.”
Participants spoke of a need for institutionalized mechanisms to guarantee that members of
parliament – and in particular committees – held regular consultations with the public, including
with civil society organizations and interest organizations likely to have expertise in a
legislative area.
Strategic Communication
Participants felt that strategic communications from parliament was needed in order to clarify
expectations and also to update constituents on work that is being done in Hargeisa.
Participants agreed that parliament should make a greater effort to communicate its activities,
ensuring the website is accessible and up-to-date and producing a book to explain the history,
role and functions of the
Guurti.
This issue of communications was recognized as a two-way
issue, with information flowing in both directions: “members are accountable to the parliament
as well as their constituencies… Members of parliament should be sufficient to be able to run
the parliament and feed the information back to his own constituents,” according to one member
of parliament. Participants emphasized the need to communicate the work parliament is doing
at the national level. Though members of parliament must spend most of their time in Hargeisa,
argued one participant, “We should go to our core constituencies and regions and tell our people
what’s going on.”
