Residents of Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland defied an opposition boycott and security incidents to cast their votes in local elections on Thursday. These elections mark a significant milestone as they are the first one-person, one-vote polls to be held in the conflict-ridden Horn of Africa nation in over 50 years. It should be noted, however, that these elections exclude the unrecognized breakaway region of Somaliland, which considers itself an independent republic.
The international community, including the United Nations, European Union, and the International Authority on Development, has applauded the district council elections as a historic event. In a statement issued before the vote, they expressed their belief that Puntland’s experience with direct elections has the potential to inspire and shape the expansion of democracy across Somalia at all levels of government.
The Puntland local elections took place ahead of a regional parliamentary poll scheduled for January. Election authorities reported that nearly 400,000 people had registered to vote, with a total of 3,775 candidates from seven political parties, including the ruling Kaah party, on the ballot.
However, several influential politicians and members of opposition groups in the Nugal region of Puntland boycotted the polling, leading to the postponement of the polls in three districts, including the state provincial capital, Garowe. In a concerning turn of events, a day before the elections, opposition forces seized ballot boxes and election materials from six polling stations in three districts and set them ablaze, aiming to prevent the voting process.
While the opposition politicians clarified that they were not against a democratic election, they criticized the process as illegal and manipulated by Puntland’s President, Said Abdullahi Deni. There have been concerns that Deni might attempt to alter Puntland’s constitution to extend his term, as his current tenure is set to conclude in January. Deni, on the other hand, accused the central government in Mogadishu of interfering in Puntland’s democratic process, an allegation that Mogadishu has repeatedly denied.
Somalia has been grappling with the aftermath of decades of conflict, lawlessness, terrorism, piracy, and natural disasters, including a devastating drought that has pushed the aid-dependent nation to the brink of famine. Puntland, located in the arid northeastern part of Somalia, declared autonomy in 1998, and its relationship with the central government has often been tense.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected by lawmakers a year ago, announced in March that the next national elections in Somalia would be conducted through universal suffrage. Currently, the voting process follows a complex indirect model where state legislatures and clan delegates select lawmakers for the national parliament, who subsequently elect the president.
The participation of voters in the historic local elections in Puntland was remarkable, with long queues observed outside polling stations on Thursday. International partners of Somalia, recognizing the significance of these polls, expressed hope that they would pave the way for increased democracy throughout the country.
The local elections in Puntland, although marred by the opposition boycott and security incidents, demonstrate a positive step toward inclusive governance and political progress in Somalia. The region’s electoral transition has faced various challenges, but the determination of the voters and the international support highlight the potential for a more democratic future.
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