# UCID (Justice and Welfare Party)

> UCID, Somaliland's Justice and Welfare Party (2001 to 2024): founder Faysal Ali Warabe, its social-democratic programme, every election result, and how it lost party status.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/government/ucid-justice-and-welfare-party/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## What was UCID?

UCID stands for *Ururka Caddaalada iyo Daryeelka*, the Justice and Welfare Party. It is also translated as "For Justice and Development" ([Wikipedia, Justice and Welfare Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Welfare_Party)). It was the oldest of [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/)'s parties and was based in Hargeisa (same source).

Faysal Ali Warabe, an engineer, founded it in 2001 and chaired it throughout ([Africa Confidential, Faisal Ali Warabe](http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/3065/)). He had lived in Finland. A 2013 University of Jyväskylä study says the party's programme was inspired by the Finnish Social Democratic Party ([University of Jyväskylä, 2013](https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/42626)).

## What did it stand for?

UCID called itself social democratic. It was an observer member of the Socialist International ([Socialist International, member parties](http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931)). African Arguments wrote in 2017 that it was the only national party with a clear political ideology ([African Arguments, 6 Nov 2017](https://africanarguments.org/2017/11/somaliland-election-will-the-self-declared-state-show-east-africa-how-its-done/)).

The Academy for Peace and Development and Interpeace wrote in 2015 that UCID's support came largely from the [Ciidagale](/en/society/ciidagale/) and [Garxajis](/en/society/isaaq/), with some other Isaaq sub-clans ([APD and Interpeace, August 2015](http://www.interpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015_08_01_Somalilands_Progress_Towards_Peace.pdf)).

## How did UCID do in elections?

**President** (candidate in every race: Faysal Ali Warabe)
- **2003:** 77,433 votes, 15.85 percent, third ([Wikipedia, election tables](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Welfare_Party); [Africa Confidential](http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/3065/)).
- **2010:** 92,459 votes, 17.18 percent, third ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Welfare_Party)).
- **2017:** 23,141 votes, 4.17 percent, third ([Somaliland NEC, final results, archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180516215507/http://www.slnec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Final-PollingStation-Results.pdf)).
- **2024:** 4,699 votes, third ([Somaliland NEC, interim results](https://slnec.net/news/somaliland-national-electoral-commission-releases-interim-results-of-the-november-13-double-election)).

**Parliament**
- **29 September 2005:** 180,545 votes, 26.93 percent, 21 of 82 seats ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Welfare_Party)).
- **31 May 2021:** 21 of 82 seats again. UCID formed a coalition with Waddani that held 52 seats, giving the opposition control of the House ([AFP via VOA, 10 Jun 2021](https://www.voanews.com/a/africa_somaliland-opposition-joins-forces-grab-control-parliament/6206719.html)).

**Local councils**
- **2002:** 49,444 votes, 11.24 percent, 43 seats.
- **2012:** 105,105 votes, 12.96 percent, 40 of 323 seats.
- **2021:** 159,801 votes, 23.18 percent, 48 of 220 seats (all three from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Welfare_Party)).

## How did UCID lose its party status?

Somaliland's constitution allows only three national parties. Every ten years, parties and new associations compete for the three places ([University of Tartu, 2024](https://defactostates.ut.ee/the-system-worked-somalilands-2024-presidential-and-political-party-elections/)). UCID held a place after the contests of 2002 and 2012.

On 13 November 2024, UCID won 10,105 votes and came seventh of ten. Waddani, Kaah and Kulmiye took the three places ([Somaliland NEC, interim results](https://slnec.net/news/somaliland-national-electoral-commission-releases-interim-results-of-the-november-13-double-election)). Kaah replaced UCID as a national party.

## Related pages

- [Elections in Somaliland](/en/institutions/elections-in-somaliland/)
- [Waddani](/en/government/waddani-party/)
- [Kulmiye](/en/government/kulmiye-party/)
- [Kaah](/en/government/kaah-party/)

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