Somalia: Puntland President accuses federal government of undermining federal system

QARDHO, Somalia — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni on Tuesday sharply accused Somalia’s federal government of pursuing a political plan to weaken the country’s federal structure, warning that proposals attributed to officials close to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud risk dividing the nation along regional lines. 

Speaking in Qardho with army officials, Deni said remarks attributed to presidential adviser Sheikh Ali Wajiis suggested that the federal government should directly administer Somalia’s regions, a move he described as a threat to the federal system's existence.

“The statements coming from Ali Wajiis, which I believe reflect President Hassan Sheikh’s position, recommend that Puntland territories be governed region by region under direct federal control,” Deni said. 

He argued that such a policy would undermine the federal arrangement established after years of political negotiations and institution-building. Deni emphasized that Puntland has developed governmental and security institutions over more than two decades, warning that attempts to dismantle them could jeopardize stability and progress in the region.

The Puntland leader also said Somalis can only coexist through mutual agreement and consensus, adding that imposing an unwanted governance model would not be viable. He reaffirmed Puntland’s commitment to defending federalism and opposing any measures that contradict it. 

Deni further accused the federal government of seeking to control natural resources located in Puntland directly, calling the alleged plan unacceptable and contrary to agreements that shaped Somalia’s state-building process.

There was no immediate response from Somalia’s federal government to the allegations.

GAROWE ONLINE