Garowe (PP News Desk) — Puntland State of Somalia plans to conduct Parliamentary elections in what appears to be a bold transformation of a political system that will turn 25 in August.
Puntland Parliamentary Speaker Abdirashid Yusuf publicised on Wednesday the plan to conduct parliamentary elections after local government elections. “Parliamentary elections will follow local government elections in Puntland. Puntland Electoral Commission will replace the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission” the parliamentary speaker said.
Parliamentary elections will bring to an end the process through which traditional leaders selects MPs, who elect Puntland President and Vice President.
The political transformation underway aims to devolve powers to the village level to end power concentrated in the executive branch of the government controlling the legislature. Observers argue the proposed political system should give voters an opportunity to elect a President. If MPs elected by voters can in turn elect a President the transformation will be short-lived, they argue.
“The highest bidder will buy votes of MPs if parts of the existing system is retained. What Puntland needs is a system that allows for the formation of a coalition government. A higher threshold should be set for a winning political party to form a majority government until political accountability becomes a norm in our political system” said a political analyst in Boosaaso.
© Puntland Post, 2023
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