Members of Somalia’s bicameral parliament from Puntland have indeed expressed support for Jubbaland’s right to hold its own indirect election for leadership.
Speaking on Tuesday, the legislators demonstrated the fact that they favor the traditional clan-based indirect electoral model over President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s push for a one-person, one-vote system.
This development indicates a deepening divide within Somalia’s political landscape, as Puntland and Jubbaland, both semi-autonomous regions, show resistance to the central government’s reform agenda for a direct electoral process.
This setback complicates President Mohamud’s efforts to establish a more unified and democratic electoral system across Somalia and highlights the challenges of balancing federalism and central governance in the country.