District elections without decentralisation will deepen the status quo in Puntland

[Deeq A.]

Garowe (PP Editorial) — The goal to transform Puntland political landscape through elections is premised on the need to empower districts. Decentralisation is the path to ending the regressive political system of Puntland State of Somalia. The newly appointed Puntland Interior Minister Abdi Farah Said (Juha) told the BBC Somali that his mandate “pertains only to district elections, not election of MPs and a President.”

Juha added that in 2023 one person, one vote elections would be conducted in some Puntland districts, raising the suspicion that the planned elections will have the same characteristics as the 2021 pilot local elections — some districts will be denied the right to elect their councillors.

Former Puntland Finance Minister Hassan Shire Abgal (left) opposes decentralisation to which President Deni (middle) is allegedly paying lip service, as implied by Juha in a BBC Somali Service interview.

Puntland State government has yet to publish detailed action plans to ensure that three successful political associations will become political parties. If one takes Juha’s comment at its face value, it is reasonable to assume that Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni is paying a lip service to the democratisation process.

Decentralisation will end the unholy pact between an incumbent President and MPs who do the executive brach’s bidding to misappropriate a substantial amount of money earmarked for district budgets.

Several months ago Puntland MPs brought to light fishing licences granted by successive administrations in violation of Puntland Fisheries Regulation. If sixty plus MPs elect a President after successful second phase district elections, Puntland will go down in the history as the first Federal Member State that uses democratic processes against interests of voters.

District elections that leave out accountability and decentralisation are bound to give the corrupt politicians a new lease of life. Decentralisation will empower grassroots to identify able leaders bound by commitment to civic values. Budgets currently managed centrally in Garowe benefit the incumbent administration.

People of Puntland State expect that district elections will put a new social contract in place to hold politicians accountable for their conduct. Without an independent audit regime and judiciary proponents of the status quo will nip the decentralisation agenda in the bud. District elections should not be treated as an opportunity to go the Somalia’s International Partners with a begging bowl.

A clear, citizen-centred action plan to move away from the heavily centralised structure of Puntland government to a decentralised governance is the yardstick by which citizens will gauge President Deni’s declarations.

© Puntland Post, 2022

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