Somalia’s Puntland State Electoral Commission Unveils Revised Election Timeline, Sparking Disputes

The Puntland State Electoral Commission of Somalia has introduced a revised election schedule, amalgamating the Parliamentary and Presidential elections to be held simultaneously. This decision has elicited significant discord between the electoral body and various political stakeholders.

The commission has rescheduled the elections to take place on February 25th of the upcoming year, effectively canceling the previously planned election set for January 8, 2024.

Both political parties aligned with the Electoral Commission and those in opposition vehemently contested this new timeline, asserting that they were not informed or consulted about the decision.

Also, the Puntland civil society umbrella organization, Punsaa, expressed surprise, stating that the election schedule was not part of the deliberations between the Civil Society Organizations and the Puntland Electoral Commission.

This announcement has surfaced amidst existing concerns raised by opposition politicians and Puntland presidential candidates, who have alleged that President Deni aims to extend his term through political maneuvers.