Monday July 13, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni sharply challenged the Federal Government’s push for a one-person, one-vote system on Saturday, saying the exercise risks being a hollow formality if outcomes are predetermined.
Addressing the stalled national talks in Mogadishu, Deni argued that the point of holding an election is lost when the winner is already known, questioning the legitimacy of a process that produces a foregone conclusion.
“I do not see much point in saying that a one-person, one-vote election is being held when it is already known who will emerge and which party will win. That is not democracy,” Deni said.
He accused federal authorities of rushing the timetable and prioritizing the ambitions of particular individuals and factions over creating the conditions for free and fair voting. For Deni, the emphasis should be on guarantees that allow citizens to choose representatives without coercion or manipulation.
Deni also warned against governing Somalia through coercion, insisting the country’s recovery depends on inclusive discussion, adherence to law and respect for the public’s will.
“There is no one who can rule Somalia by force and violence. The country can only be built through consultation, law and the will of the people,” he said.
The comments come as government and opposition delegates reconvened in Mogadishu to try to bridge differences on the electoral model and proposed constitutional changes that have sparked controversy nationwide.
The talks, which are being facilitated by Turkey, brought together representatives from the Federal Government, opposition groups and observers from Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United Nations.
Puntland State has long opposed several of the constitutional revisions pushed by Mogadishu, arguing the measures undermine consensus. Federal authorities, by contrast, maintain the amendments are essential to complete state-building and move Somalia toward direct, universal elections.
