Somalia: Puntland leery about 4.5 ahead of Kismayo forum

GAROWE, Somalia, December 28, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali along with Vice President Abdihakin Abdullahi Haji Omar has engaged the public on the state’s standpoint on more robust transition sans 4.5 clan representation on Monday, Garowe Online reports.

After a brief session of media flashes, journalists left a conference hall inside Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC).

The symposium centred around the views of the public members with different backgrounds-- including civil society, politicians, intellectuals and women and youth groups.

President Ali briefed participants on recent Mogadishu National Consultative Forum (NCF) in which Somali political leaders failed to adopt a viable roadmap for the country’s far-daunting electoral transition.

Ali noted that he presented Puntland’s keen interest in region-based electoral model at National Consultative Forum.

Continuing, he blamed some politicians for trying to hijack national will which favors enhanced switch from the current system in reference to 4.5 power sharing formula.

Community and political leaders at the question-and-answer session stressed on the importance of Puntland and its all-out efforts in 2016 transition.

Puntland Environment Minister Ali Abdullahi Warsame afterwards told media members that the President listened to the suggestions of community stakeholders as a follow-up for the preceding nation-wide consultations.

Public opinion polls across Puntland point to no upbeat forecast for the country’s traditional 4.5 quota.

On December 17, in a rare show of political understanding, Somali leaders decided on mixture of clans and regions, a framework that has yet to be defined.

Somalia’s vital international partners have for long encouraged at least something that could serve as a stepping stone for full democratic transition in 2020.

Earlier a week hundreds expressed their disdain at anti-4.5 rally in Puntland capital of Garowe.

Somali political leaders are scheduled to gather in the southern port city of Kismayo on January 10.

GAROWE ONLINE