Sunday July 9, 2023
Garowe (HOL) - Federal Lower and Upper House Parliamentarians elected from Puntland State urged regional state leaders to ensure the upcoming state leaders' election is held on time and follows the indirect election model.
Ten Parliamentarians, who have been in Garowe in recent days to seek a resolution to the election disputes, released a statement on Sunday, calling for the election to take place on January 8, 2024, and to adhere to the previous election model in which lawmakers elect the President and Vice President.
Puntland President Said Deni remains steadfast in his insistence on a direct vote for the upcoming presidential election. However, politicians have raised concerns, stating that such an election is improbable to be conducted within the designated timeframe.
The parliamentarians also opposed opening the Puntland constitution, urging the parliament to avoid any actions that could exacerbate the issue, particularly the constitutional amendment.
Last month, the regional state parliament opened the constitution to amend certain provisions regarding political organizations becoming political parties. Over 34 regional lawmakers voted unanimously to open the constitution, while one MP opposed the decision.
The controversial issue of opening the constitution aims to revise a constitutional provision that currently states the three organizations with the highest votes in the local council election can transition into political parties. The proposed amendment seeks to allow the top five organizations with the most votes to make this transition.
In May, Puntland conducted its first one-person, one-vote elections in over fifty years in the fragile and conflict-ridden Horn of Africa nation, excluding the unrecognized breakaway region of Somaliland, which considers itself an independent republic.
Some powerful politicians and members of the Puntland opposition groups in Nugal region in Puntland had boycotted polling, forcing the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission to postpone polls in three of the region's 33 districts, including the state provincial capital, Garowe.