Puntland regional state parliamentarians accused their Speaker, Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril, of undermining Parliament’s independence to enforce President Deni’s political will.
The parliamentarians claimed that the Speaker has thwarted attempts to bring peace to Garowe City and end the conflict that arose from the election dispute in remarks they made to the local media on Friday.
They claimed the Speaker was endangering Puntland’s peace and stability and emphasized that the election law would not be changed.
The parliamentary meeting on Thursday, which was supposed to address the contentious Election Amendment Act, broke up due to disagreements among members regarding its execution.
The heckling during the meeting revealed significant divisions within the chamber, leading Speaker Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril to adjourn the session in the face of mounting tensions.
The Puntland Electoral Commission’s recently proposed electoral reform law was the main source of disagreement. Articles 44, 56, and 81 of the Puntland State Constitution were found to be inconsistent by the Special Committee of the Assembly, which was tasked with enacting the Elections Act.
Their analysis, which included viewpoints from academics, women’s organizations, and civil society, focused on worries about the security situation in the area. Rejecting the committee’s attempt to delay the law’s passage, the Speaker emphasized the need to preserve security stability. The speaker of the parliament, however, named a new committee and announced that the meeting would reconvene on Sunday of the following week.
