Somali leaders, led by President Hassan Sheikh, along with the State Presidents of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Southwest, and Jubbaland, the Governor of Banadir and Somalia’s Prime Minister who hails from President Hassan’s UPD party and the Deputy Prime Minister have forged an agreement that aligns their shared vision. The goal? A strategic departure from the prevailing parliamentary, presidential system that has dominated the nation for three decades. But it doesn’t stop there. These leaders have also embraced a distinctive electoral model, employed by only a handful of nations, including colonial state of Israel, advocating for a single electoral region instead of district-level representation. Moreover, they have boldly proposed a two-party system, often associated with authoritarian regimes.
At the heart of Somalia’s state-building efforts lies a trilateral discourse, where three key zones—Somaliland, Puntland, and the South-Central region—take center stage. Puntland, in particular, is now advocating for a trilateral dialogue aimed at brokering a resolution for Somalia.
President Saeed Deni of Puntland emerged as a staunch opponent of the agreements reached by the National Consultation Council (NCC). Deni argues that Puntland’s exclusion from these agreements undermines their legitimacy, highlighting his conspicuous absence from crucial meetings and refusal to endorse the agreements during the December power-sharing and judicial system conference. Deni passionately criticizes President Hassan Sheikh’s leadership, alleging blatant violations of both the Federal and Puntland State constitution.
Deni asserts that if consequential decisions are to be made, the involvement of Somaliland is paramount. He insists that rectifying Somalia’s instability necessitates the active participation of Somaliland in forging a collective solution.
The political opposition in Puntland, which had opposed Saeed Deni thus far, has suddenly changed instance. With only six months remaining in Deni’s term, they now deem the NCC agreement incomplete and illegal. This unexpected pivot by the government and opposition indicates a genuine desire to address Puntland independently from other Federal State Members, considering its distinction as the first administration established after the collapse of the central government a quarter century ago, still retaining all government institutions and sources of revenue from the pre-federalization era.
Astute political analysts caution that this development threatens to accelerate the nation’s descent into a multifaceted dilemma. They insist that for Somalia to avert such a dangerous scenario, the government must embark upon the state-building process with an unwavering consensus among all stakeholders.
Mohamed Salh, Multimedia Journalist, based in Garowe.
