Puntland: 2016 decision locked us out of Mogadishu conference

Puntland has cited failure by the Federal Government to implement the ‘one person one vote’ mechanism for the 2016 polls as reason its leadership did not attend the just concluded High Level Partnership Forum in Mogadishu.

In a statement to the media, Puntland said the government had failed to fulfill its constitutional mandate to deliver universal suffrage nor develop an inclusive action plan. The government this week announced a universal vote would not be viable in 2016 citing the security situation and lack of preparedness.

The state has also raised a number of other issues as critical to its decision not to attend the forum which attracted over 100 delegates locally and internationally. “The current federal Government has deliberately annulled the genuine federal constitution as signed by the six National Roadmap signatories in Nairobi on the 22nd of June, 2012. It has also single-handedly tampered and changed twenty four important articles in the constitution,” read the statement in part.

Puntland said the government had failed to implement previous agreements signed jointly by Puntland state and Federal Government though it did not elaborate on the nature of the agreements.

Puntland, which together with Jubbaland avoided the conference has also accused the government of what it terms as ‘active promotion of Mogadishu centric system while undermining the federal system.

In his opening remarks during the two day conference in Mogadishu two days ago, UN special envoy Nicholas Kay took a swipe at the regional leaders terming their absence a disappointment to the process.

“We had expected all regional presidents and leaders to be with us. This is not the case despite the considerable effort made by the federal government and many others in the room today to reach out and smooth the road to Mogadishu,” said Kay.

Jubbaland has not commented on the matter yet.

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