Somalia: Puntland’s Parliament Throws Region into Uncertainty
The Puntland Parliament has made a surprising announcement, declaring that it will go into recess. This decision comes shortly after the parliament approved three members of the controversial Puntland Election Commission (PEC).
The opposition political associations, namely “Mideeye” and “Horseed,” have not yet announced their representatives for the committee. It is worth noting that Mideye secured the second position in the highly debated local council elections. On the other hand, Horseed chose not to participate in the polls, except for EYL, UFEYN, and QARDHO.
The Mideye Political association has a strong power base in the Barri region, while the Horseed association dominates in the Nugaal region, particularly in Garowe, the capital of Puntland. The exclusion of these two influential political associations from the electoral commission presents a challenge for President Dani and his political allies, particularly the Speaker of the Parliament and his deputies.
The newly appointed members of the Election Committee are Abdisalam Bashir Abdisalam, Mohamud Ahmed Aynab (Gubsul), and Ubax Abdullahi Abshir. After receiving parliamentary approval, these members were sworn in by a Supreme Court judge, granting them immunity.
Currently, the Puntland Election Commission lacks unanimous consensus. The committee consists of 12 members, with nine already approved earlier this month. Most of these members were chosen by the Parliament, the ruling party, and the Presidency. They have faced allegations of favoring Said Deni’s desire to extend his tenure. In contrast, the other political associations have only elected five members.
The Constitutional Court of Puntland remains silent on the complaints raised by Mideeye, Horseed, and other politicians. Experts speculate that the Judiciary might be colluding with the Puntland President, who has only four months left in his term.
Meanwhile, the Puntland administration is grappling with internal conflicts and uncertainty surrounding the 2024 presidential election. There is growing suspicion that the outgoing president, Deni, is secretly working to strengthen his position as president.
Axadle
