Brotherhood, Betrayal, and the Ballot Box: The Surprise Summit That Could Save Somaliland's Kulmiye Party
Former President Muse Bihi Abdi made an unannounced visit to the Kulmiye party headquarters today, marking a pivotal moment in Somaliland's current political landscape. The surprise meeting with his long time ally and current party Chairman, Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, offers a renewed glimmer of hope for reconciliation following a bitter political fallout that threatened to fracture the historic party.
Speaking publicly for the first time about the visit, Bihi adopted the tone of an elder statesman. He emphasized that internal party disputes would be resolved through dialogue, consultation, and mutual understanding.
"In our meeting, we discussed the current situation and the activities of the party," Bihi stated. "We had a profound discussion regarding the massive tasks and obligations that lie ahead of us."
While Bihi's optimistic rhetoric suggests a strong desire to mend the deepening divisions within Kulmiye, Chairman Kahin has yet to release a formal statement regarding the morning visit or the specific terms of their private negotiations.
A Half Century of Brotherhood
To fully grasp the gravity of this sudden summit, one must trace the deeply intertwined history of the two leaders. Muse Bihi and Mohamed Kahin share the longest enduring political partnership in Somaliland. For nearly fifty years, they have been inseparable comrades who navigated the most turbulent eras of the Horn of Africa together.
Their alliance began in the ranks of the Somali National Army and solidified when both defected to join the Somali National Movement (SNM) rebellion. Within the SNM, they were leading figures in the powerful military officers' wing, a faction that frequently shaped the movement's trajectory and occasionally clashed with its civilian counterpart, historically known as Calancas.
The Architect and the President
After Somaliland reclaimed its independence, their bond only strengthened. When the Kulmiye party was in the opposition, Kahin served as the ultimate political shield for Bihi's ambitions. During the critical 2008 party conference in Burao, Kahin outmaneuvered political heavyweights, including veteran fighter Ibrahim Dhegaweyne, to secure Bihi the position of First Vice Chairman. Kahin also engineered a vital agreement ensuring that if Kulmiye won the national election, the party chairmanship would be handed over to Bihi.
When Kulmiye captured the presidency in 2010 under Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo), Kahin notably declined a cabinet position. Instead, he chose to remain outside the government to support Bihi during a period when the new administration and the party chairman shared a deeply strained relationship.
Kahin's loyalty was tested again in 2014 when the Silanyo administration launched a fierce campaign to block Bihi's presidential ambitions, going so far as to restrict his political campaigning. Standing alongside Central Committee Chairman Jama Shabeel, Kahin was the only senior figure willing to face the full weight of the state machinery to defend his friend.
This unwavering loyalty was heavily rewarded when Bihi secured the presidency in 2017. The new President appointed Kahin as the Minister of Interior, one of the most powerful and sensitive portfolios in the executive branch, a position he held until 2024. In 2023, Bihi further cemented their alliance by transferring the Kulmiye party chairmanship to Kahin.
The 2024 Electoral Defeat and the Subsequent Rift
However, a half century of brotherhood was severely tested by the crushing reality of electoral defeat. After the Kulmiye party lost the national elections in 2024, a dark cloud of suspicion and mutual distrust descended upon the two veterans.
Over the past few months, the pair exchanged indirect but heated barbs through the media. The internal friction forced senior party members to pick sides, fracturing the party into two distinct camps, with the majority ultimately aligning behind Chairman Kahin. The core of the dispute centered on the future trajectory of the party and a fierce power struggle over who would dictate the selection of its next generation of leadership.
The Path to Reconciliation
Today's face to face meeting, the first in months, raises a critical question. Can these two political titans resolve their differences without the intervention of third party mediators?
Given their deeply rooted history and the fact that the party has not yet crossed the point of no return, political analysts remain highly optimistic. Bihi's decision to walk into the party headquarters demonstrates a tangible willingness to compromise.
The ultimate test will arrive next week during the highly anticipated Kulmiye Central Committee conference. If the current negotiations hold, the summit could mark the resurrection of their historic partnership, effectively saving the political machinery that governed Somaliland for fourteen consecutive years and charting a unified path forward for the opposition.
