Puntland slams Somalia Govt over unitary constitution

GAROWE, Somalia-Puntland government in northern Somalia on Sunday launched a scathing criticism of Somalia’s Federal Government (SFG) over unilateral amendments to be made to the Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC), Garowe Online reports.

Earlier over the weekend on Saturday, Puntland said, Mogadishu-based federal government was stoking further deadlock with plans to tamper with clauses and articles in the federal charter.

In an emailed statement, Puntland warned against deepening constitutional crisis and disagreements that could hinder Somalia’s quest for functioning governance.

“Puntland has been closely following the constitution put forward to the parliament, which has been altered to be a unitary system,” said Presidential spokesman Abdullahi Mohamed Jama.

On the country’s founding principles, Puntland stated that the Republic is one-sidedly founded upon the fundamental principles of power sharing in a centralized system instead of federal system.

Citing article 49 of the PFC, 5th and 6th clauses, the northeastern State added that Federal Member State boundaries will not be based on boundaries of the administrative regions as they existed before 1991, and await being omitted in line with the wish of the commission.

Puntland suggested that the voluntary decision on which two or more regions may merge, could be discarded in the so-called review process, warning it won’t be binding legally.

According to the presidency, among the altered chapters are representation of people, devolution of the powers of State, Federal Member States, and public finance.

The articles and clauses that have been tampered with, would be a fodder for confusion and political brawl aimed at blocking Somalia’s path to very governance, the northeastern state indicated.

Puntland distanced itself from any constitutional work that would concentrate power in hegemonic regime reminiscent of pre-war centralized governments.

GAROWEONLINE