Guled Salah: Puntland Government Withheld TPEC Funds

[Deeq A.]

Guled Salah’s allegations that Puntland government withheld TPEC funds might scupper Deni campaign to become the next President of Somalia.

Garowe (PP News Desk) — The former Chairman of Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission Guled Salad alleged that the Puntland State Government had withheld funds for the democratization process in Puntland.

“There was a budget of more than $1,600,000 earmarked for TPEC to oversee the democratization process.  Puntland government released only $250,000 for TPEC activities” Guled told an interviewer today.

Guled added that both the government and Puntland Parliament had ratified the TPEC budget. He did not specify what the money withheld by the Puntland government has been used for. Guled reigned as TPEC chairan several months ago, citing difficult circumstances that “prevented him from continuing to play a role in the democratization process in Puntland”. 

The carefully timed revelation of the former TPEC chairman may adversely affect the campaign of the incumbent Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni to become the next President of Somalia. TPEC Chairman oversaw the 2021 pilot local government elections held at Ufeyn, Qardho and Eyl.

Last month, two political associations, Mideeye and Sincad, accused Puntland President of circumventing the Constitution to undermine the democratization process.

© Puntland Post, 2022

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