Somalia: Puntland shows support for Upper Bakool admin

GAROWE, Somalia, December 27, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Puntland government in northern Somalia on Saturday expressed its support for the newly formed Upper Bakool administration in a move once more demonstrating differences looming larger over 2016 electoral transition, Garowe Online reports.

In a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali in the state capital of Garowe, Puntland called ‘decision by locals to carve own mini-administration out of Southwest State’ a good step.

Upper Bakool consists of three Bakool regional districts of El Barde, Yeed and Aato.

Puntland said in a press statement released to the media on Sunday that residents of the three districts have a right to self-governance off their neighbor--Southwest State Administration--due to the latter’s failure to address grievances and practices relegating constituent units within the interim state to margins.

Puntland earlier in August refused to recognize Interim Galmudug Administration on grounds of Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC) that stipulates the need for at least two regions for merger.

Cracks within Puntland-Southwest State relation emerged at National Consultative Forum (NCF) in which both sides stuck to switch to region-based model and 4.5 representation system respectively.

Somali political leaders are scheduled to again meet over most appropriate model for elections by 2016 in the southern port city of Kismayo in January.

GAROWE ONLINE