Somalia: Puntland rejects result of the NCC forum in Mogadishu

GAROWE, Somalia - A day after the revelation about the proposed model of the electoral system in Somalia, Puntland leader Said Abdullahi Deni expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the northern state of Somalia was not "consulted" before the agreement was reached by other stakeholders.

The National Consultative Council [NCC] under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, proposed that the country shifts from the current clan-based electoral model to universal suffrage, which will allow people to elect their leaders directly without others making decisions on their behalf.

In a statement, Deni insisted Puntland did not participate in the talks while defending his decision to boycott various NCC meetings in the country. His decision to step back, he said, was informed by alleged skewed "power sharing and the judicial system" in the country.

Hassan Sheikh's leadership, he said, violated the Federal Government of Somalia's constitution. For the proposal to be concrete, he added, Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, should have been included in the discussions, noting that instability challenges can only be dealt with if collectivism is embraced.

He further pointed out that previous meetings, starting from 1991 in Djibouti up until the recent one in Embaghati, had agreed upon a parliamentary system with a President and a Prime minister. In the proposed system, Somalia will embrace a presidential system that would see the scrapping of the premiership posts.

Those who proposed the model, he said, are doing it for their "selfish gains", adding that Somalia should continue practicing a parliamentary system that allows the Prime Minister to head the government. The PM, however, serves as the mercy of the president and legislators.

Should the conflict persist, he said, Puntland will continue acting independently "until a sane/stable Somali government is created". Puntland leadership distanced itself from federalism, arguing that Mogadishu had violated previous agreements that guard sharing of resources.

The proposals will be subjected to thorough vetting by parliament before a decision is made on whether to adopt them or not, according to president Hassan Sheikh, speaking at the opening of the national assembly on Monday.

GAROWE ONLINE