Mogadishu (PP Editorial) — The US Department of State, commenting on the National Consultative Council summit recently concluded in Mogadishu, has called for consensus on the Somali electoral model, just one year before the term of the incumbent administration ends. It made no mention of the recent amendments to the draft constitution. Groups opposed to the constitutional changes focused on the statement’s emphasis on elections.
Like its predecessor, the current Federal Government of Somalia aims to hold one person, one vote elections in 2026 or 2027. The Federal Government also plans to conduct district-level elections in Mogadishu this year. If successful, it would mark the first time since 1969 that elections have been held in the capital under a non-dictatorial regime.
During his first term (2012–2017), President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud oversaw the creation of three federal member states and introduced a bicameral legislature. In his second term, he is seeking to reform the prime ministerial system and hold universal suffrage elections based on political parties.
Puntland State has opposed the constitutional amendments passed by the bicameral legislature last year. Both Puntland and Jubaland have amended their own constitutions through their respective parliaments. This leaves little room for renegotiating constitutional changes at the federal level.
If Federal Member States can override decisions made by the bicameral legislature in Mogadishu by simply opposing any amendment, the executive branch may be tempted to capture the legislature. If a Federal Member State president can unilaterally appoint MPs and Senators to increase his re-election chances or strengthen ties with a future federal administration, the bicameral legislature risks being bought off by the highest bidder.
Puntland has expressed concern over Somaliland MPs and Senators in Mogadishu, viewing them as natural allies of any incoming federal administration, often at the expense of Federal Member States that frequently clash with Mogadishu over constitutional and electoral issues.
In 2023, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni justified downgrading ties with the Federal Government of Somalia on several grounds, including the continued federal representation of Somaliland in the bicameral legislature, despite Somaliland’s claim to sovereignty based on unilateral secession. He described this as a distortion of the federal model and a violation of good governance.
No Federal Member State consulted its MPs and Senators on the constitutional amendments prior to their passage in the bicameral legislature. While not legally required, this absence of input highlights the risk that the legislature is highly vulnerable to executive capture.
How MPs and Senators are selected directly affects the quality of representation and the level of accountability expected from the bicameral legislature.
The burning question remains: Who bears the responsibility for setting an example of good governance: the Federal Government of Somalia or the Federal Member States?
Answers on a postcard, please.
© Puntland Post, 2025
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