Garowe (PP News Desk) — Puntland State President Said Abdulahi Deni last night in principle endorsed SSC traditional leaders recommendations to conduct presidential elections on 8 January 2024 but on modalities recommended by another group of Puntland elders to select new MPs and a new parliamentary speaker.
President Deni’s concession comes in the wake of recommendations issued by SSC traditional leaders to conduct consensus-based elections. “The recommendations issued by elders contravene against the goal to conduct one person, one vote elections, but the future of Puntland State matters more than anything else, and in this spirit I call presidential election to take place on 8 January [2024] in line with the Puntland Charter to allow constituent clans to select their MPs” said President Deni.
The concession made by Puntland President ends political uncertainties that many feared could have resulted in parallel electoral processes. A new administration will have the mandate to keep democratisation milestones such as political parties and elected district councils in place.
Puntland Opposition Umbrella has endorsed SSC elders recommendations that despite a return to a traditional electoral model, obliges political stakeholders to continue the democratisation process ongoing.
In 2021 and 2023 Puntland State conducted local government elections through which political parties and elected district councillors have come into existence.
© Puntland Post, 2023
