The United Somali Party (USP) was a political party in British Somaliland founded in 1959. The party drew support primarily from the Dhulbahante and Warsangali in the east and the Gadabuursi and Issa in the west. In the February 1960 parliamentary election, the USP received 16.4% of the vote and won 12 of the 33 elected seats, making it the second-largest party after the Somali National League. Following the election, the USP formed a coalition with the SNL.
History The USP was formed in 1959 at Las Anod, a centre of the Darod population in British Somaliland. Its early leadership consisted of prominent traditional chiefs, with Ali Garad Jama, the university-educated son of Garad Jama Farah, providing the main drive behind the party.
The United Somali Party was founded in 1959 to represent the Darod in eastern British Somaliland and the Dir, although the two groups belonged to different lineages and had little previous interaction, they shared a mutual opposition to the majority Isaaq. The party became the second-largest political party in British Somaliland.
1960 election Before the February 1960 general election, the USP and the Somali National League (SNL) agreed to support each other's candidates where advantageous and to combine in the Legislative Council if they won the election. The USP subsequently received 16.4% of the vote and won 12 of the 33 seats, compared with 20 for the SNL and one for the National United Front. The result made the USP the second-largest party in the protectorate and it formed a parliamentary coalition with the SNL.
Post-unification Following the unification of Somalia in 1960 the USP secured two ministerial positions in the first government of the Somali Republic.
In the 1964 parliamentary elections, the first after the unification of Somalia, the party received only 0.8% of the vote and won one seat. The 1969 elections saw the party increase its vote share to 1.8%, but it lost its parliamentary representation.
Members of Parliament 1960 elections Name Year Constituent city Clan Abdilahi Qablan 1960 Las Qorey Dubays / Warsangeli Mohamud Salax Caddaanweyne 1960 Jidali Cumar / Warsangeli Ali Garad Jama 1960 Las Anod Baharsame / Dhulbahante Osman Garad 1960 Taleh Galool Oriye / Dhulbahante Abdalla Farah 1960 Widhwidh Barkad / Dhulbahante Mohamed Geedeeye 1960 Caynabo Ararsame / Dhulbahante Ibrahim Eid 1960 Xudun Naleeye Ahmed / Dhulbahante Abubakar Omar 1960 Borama Gadabuursi Jama Ghelle 1960 Saylac Ciise Musa Shirwa 1960 Lughaya Ciise Abdi Buuni 1960 Baki Gadabuursi Ibrahim Nuur 1960 Dilla GadabuursiSource: Menafn, Somaliland Standard
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