Somalia: 26 Killed in Clashes Outside Puntland’s Parliament

Facts

• At least 26 people — including 16 soldiers — have been killed and 30 more injured, after violence erupted in Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland on Tuesday.¹
• According to the police, violence broke out in the state capital Garowe when gun-wielding protesters clashed with security forces outside the Puntland parliament as it voted on a one-person-one-vote election system with multiple political parties.²
• Violence reportedly flared up after the opposition accused Puntland’s Pres. Said Abdullahi Deni of seeking constitutional amendments so as to extend his term in office beyond January 2024.³
• It’s alleged that Deni aims to alter Article 46 of the regional constitution, which currently limits the number of political parties to three, and Article 79, which stops presidents being able to serve more than two terms of five years.⁴
• As heavy fighting between security forces and pro-opposition protesters reportedly forced businesses to briefly shut, the state parliament voted 34-1 to approve the amendments. Only 35 of the 66 state parliamentarians were present at the meeting.⁵
• Somalia follows a clan-based indirect voting system and hasn’t held direct elections nationwide since 1969, when dictator Siad Barre allegedly seized power.⁶

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Al Jazeera, ³Arab News, ⁴Garowe Online, ⁵TRT World, and ⁶The Times of India.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Garowe Online. These constitutional amendments are illegal and only serve Deni's nefarious goal of tilting the mandate in his favor beyond his term. They will enable his political ambition of competing in the federal presidential elections and allow the Puntland government to divert funds to his election campaign. Such complete disregard for an inclusive, fair, and free voting process would risk undermining political stability in Puntland.
• Narrative B, as provided by Middle East Monitor. Somalia has grappled with an indirect electoral process for selecting political leaders at federal and state levels for decades, and elections have often been marked by procedural irregularities, unfair practices, and corruption. Clan rivalries and lingering grouses due to colonial legacies have exacerbated political divisions, particularly in Puntland. These constitutional amendments will pave the way for civilians to exercise their right to change the country's political landscape.

Predictions