How to Remove Obstacles in the Puntland Democratisation Process

[Deeq A.]

President Deni (seventh from left, standing) with some members of his council of ministers and leaders of Puntland State political parties.

Garowe (PP Comment) — On 8 January 2024, the Puntland State of Somalia successfully conducted a customary presidential election in which 66 MPs elected a President. The plan to conduct one person, one vote elections in Puntland faced formidable opposition from key stakeholders who questioned the process through which the Puntland Constitution had been amended to bring political parties into existence. The compromise came in the form of recommendations from elders, who suggested a return to the old electoral model to grant the new administration powers to finalise the democratisation process.

President Said Abdullahi Deni was re-elected on 8 January. He has the mandate to bring the democratisation process to fruition. The path to realising that goal depends on negotiations to conduct elections in the three remaining districts and ensure that the Puntland legislature no longer remains a rubber-stamp parliament controlled by the presidency. Puntland political parties have a presence at the district level, where district councillors are nominated based on local government election results.

The Puntland Parliament is still an institution beholden to President Deni, who can fire any MP who challenges his administration’s policies. It would be a waste of time and resources to talk about empowering Puntland political parties while the parliament is not independent from the executive branch. The appointment of a professional Puntland Auditor General is a good start and will make a difference in overseeing public finances if an independent judiciary and a Supreme Court are established in the Puntland State of Somalia.

An urgent reform of the Puntland Parliament is overdue to prevent the democratisation process from becoming a false dawn. A government white paper on reforming the Puntland State Parliament within an agreed timeframe could help start consultations with all stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organisations. That is the only way to remove obstacles in the Puntland democratisation process, which began in 2021 when pilot local government elections were conducted in three districts.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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