Garowe (PP Remark) — On 8 January 2024, the Puntland State of Somalia efficiently carried out a customary presidential election through which 66 MPs elected a President. The plan to conduct one individual, one vote elections in Puntland confronted formidable opposition from key stakeholders who questioned the method by which the Puntland Structure had been amended to carry political events into existence. The compromise got here within the type of suggestions from elders, who steered a return to the previous electoral mannequin to grant the brand new administration powers to finalise the democratisation course of.
President Stated Abdullahi Deni was re-elected on 8 January. He has the mandate to carry the democratisation course of to fruition. The trail to realising that objective is determined by negotiations to conduct elections within the three remaining districts and be certain that the Puntland legislature now not stays a rubber-stamp parliament managed by the presidency. Puntland political events have a presence on the district stage, the place district councillors are nominated based mostly on native authorities election outcomes.
The Puntland Parliament continues to be an establishment beholden to President Deni, who can hearth any MP who challenges his administration’s insurance policies. It might be a waste of time and sources to speak about empowering Puntland political events whereas the parliament will not be unbiased from the manager department. The appointment of knowledgeable Puntland Auditor Common is an efficient begin and can make a distinction in overseeing public funds if an unbiased judiciary and a Supreme Court docket are established within the Puntland State of Somalia.
An pressing reform of the Puntland Parliament is overdue to forestall the democratisation course of from changing into a false daybreak. A authorities white paper on reforming the Puntland State Parliament inside an agreed timeframe might assist begin consultations with all stakeholders, together with political events and civil society organisations. That’s the solely method to take away obstacles within the Puntland democratisation course of, which started in 2021 when pilot native authorities elections had been carried out in three districts.
© Puntland Submit, 2024
