Background The Guurti, the predecessor of the Somaliland Council of Elders, existed long before the founding of Somaliland. However, it was not institutionalized, nor was it a permanent organization, as the elders of the clans concerned gathered whenever a matter arose. In 1991, the
Somali National Movement (SNM), which was mainly led by the
Isaaq clans in northwestern Somalia, declared the establishment of the Republic of Somaliland. However, the military factions were unable to unite the country under their rule, and in 1993, the SNM asked the elders of the clans to mediate between the factions.
Great Congress of National Reconciliation In 1993, at the "
Great Congress of National Reconciliation" in
Borama, Guurti was institutionalized as a House of Elders, with 82 members elected from various parts of Somaliland. The House of Elders then nominated
Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal as the new Somaliland President. The 1997 interim constitution set the term of the House of Elders at six years. The
Constitution of Somaliland, which took effect in 2001, also clearly states about the House of Elders. In 2003, the House of Elders' term expired, but the term was changed by presidential decree to "one year after the term of the House of Representatives." The term of the House of Representatives also expired in May 2003, but the House of Elders decided to extend the term of the House of Representatives by two years.
2005 Somaliland parliamentary election Since the
Somaliland parliamentary election were held in 2005, the term of the House of Elders was set for 2006. However, in May 2006, the Somaliland House of Elders itself decided to extend the term of the House of Elders by four years.
2017 Somaliland presidential election In September 2010, the House of Elders extended its own term of office by three years and eight months, and also extended the term of the House of Representatives by two years and eight months. Eventually,
presidential elections were held in November 2017 and
Muse Bihi Abdi was elected.
2021 Somaliland parliamentary election In November 2017, the House of Elders announced that the House of Representatives parliamentary elections would be postponed until 2019. The House of Elders further announced in January 2019 that elections would be postponed. At this time, it was once decided that the elections for the House of Representatives would be held in January 2022 and the House of Elders in January 2023 In response, the United Nations Support Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) expressed concern. In July 2020, the three main Somaliland parties reached an agreement on the method of elections, and in October, the House of Elders of Somaliland signed an agreement to hold parliamentary and local elections on this basis. Somaliland Electoral Commission started voter registration in November 2020 as scheduled. In January 2021, the Somaliland Electoral Commission submitted to the President a proposal to hold simultaneous parliamentary and local elections on May 31, which the President approved. In February 2021, the House of Elders unanimously agreed.
2024 Somaliland presidential election In October 2022, the House of Elders extended the President's term of office by two years, which was scheduled to expire on November 13, 2022. The House of Elders itself extended its own term by five years. However, some legislators opposed this decision. This decision was criticized by the British and U.S. governments. In January 2023, the House of Elders discussed the situation in
Las Anod. In May 2023, 13 members of the House of Elders were absent from the assembly and ordered to attend. ==Speakers==