Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has expressed concerns that Somalia is facing a significant threat to its statehood due to the ongoing election dispute and constitutional amendments. Speaking at the opening of the 59th session of Puntland's parliament, Deni accused the term-ended federal government of undermining the country's federal system and political agreements. He called for a national conference to resolve disputes over elections and constitutional amendments.
Deni stated that Somalia had entered a dangerous period for statehood, blaming President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's administration for failing to honour agreements underpinning the country's federal system. He mentioned that Puntland has always stood for building a federal Somali state and has invested efforts to achieve stability and establish complete systems of governance. However, he regretted that the country has now entered a situation that threatens the Somali statehood built over a long period.
The Puntland leader alleged that previous political agreements, including Somalia's provisional constitution, had been abandoned. He accused Hassan of refusing to organise elections based on an agreement among political stakeholders and of obstructing dialogue intended to resolve the country's political disputes. Deni also claimed that political instability had escalated, with officials who had served the country being targeted by drone attacks, while peaceful areas were being destabilised.
Deni further accused the federal government of using national security forces to damage the country and seize public and private property. He stated that everything that had been agreed upon had fallen away, most recently the 2012 provisional constitution, which had provided a framework for political cooperation. The allegations were not independently verified.
The dispute comes amid broader political tensions over constitutional amendments, the organisation of future elections, and the division of powers between Somalia's federal government and its member states. Puntland has argued that major constitutional and electoral decisions require broad political agreement, while disagreements over the process have strained relations between Garowe and Mogadishu.
Deni called on Somalis concerned about the country's future to convene an urgent national conference aimed at safeguarding state institutions and reaching agreement on the way forward. He said Puntland would also consult the Somali public and the international community over its objections to the federal government's electoral plans. Deni promised lawmakers that he would not make decisions that are unworthy of the people of Puntland.
The federal government's response to Deni's latest remarks was not included in the statement. Somalia has struggled for years to establish an agreed constitutional framework and a stable electoral system following decades of conflict and political fragmentation. Disagreements between the federal government and regional administrations remain a major challenge to political consensus and the development of democratic institutions.
Key points
- Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni accuses Somalia's federal government of undermining the country's federal system and political agreements.
- Deni calls for a national conference to resolve disputes over elections and constitutional amendments.
- The dispute comes amid broader political tensions over constitutional amendments, the organisation of future elections, and the division of powers between Somalia's federal government and its member states.
