Five Puntland Political Associations Question TPEC’s Impartiality

[Deeq A.]

Garowe (PP News Desk) — The Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission has come under fire for alleged partiality in overseeing the process for pilot local government elections to be conducted in Puntland.

Mustaqbal (Future), Truth and Justice, Runta iyo Caddaaladda, Ifiye (Enlightener), Puntland Youth Political Party, and Labour Political Association have issued a joint statement to address “technical and legal obstacles” to the democratisation process in Puntland.

The absence of a Constitutional Court following the expiration of the Puntland Supreme Court’s term constitutes a politically formidable challenge, the political associations wrote.

“The closed list system does not provide district council candidates with a level playing field” the five political associations said.

They have criticised TPEC for issuing a statement to which all political associations had not assented, thereby causing loss of trust in the organisation’s mandate.

“We call for Puntland Development and Research Center (PDRC) and Puntland Non-State Actors Association (PUNSAA) to act impartially and refrain from mischaracterising the nascent democratisation process” the statement reads.

On 30 August, TPEC Chairman Guled Salah told the local media that there was a consensus on moving forward with conducting the pilot local elections within the agreed timeline.

© Puntland Post, 2021

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