Nugaal Region risks forfeiting its allocated Members in Puntland House of Representatives compelling relocation of the Capital City elsewhere

ONE DAY IS SAID TO BE A LONG TIME IN POLITICS.

WITH THREE MONTHS REMAING OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE OF CURRENT PUNTLAND GOVERNMENT, IT IS A LIFETIME TO HOLD AN ELECTION

Puntland Administration can feasibly conduct the proposed State Presidential and Parliament Elections on One-Person One-Vote exercises, given the bulk of legislative bills and electoral laws required are already in place, and over 400,000 voters are registered with the option of registering more voters throughout the regions.

In all probability, districts opposing even holding District Councils could boycott the General Elections as well, instigating the rest of state residents to by-pass Nugaal Region again. Thus, Nugaal Region risks forfeiting its allocated Members in Puntland State House of Representatives. If that were to happen, Puntland Capital City of Garowe would have no representation in Puntland Parliament.

From there, chain reactions would ensue that could compel relocation of the Capital City elsewhere because of potential appearance of clan-based insurgents in the middle region of Puntland against the State, followed by attempts to suppress these destabilizing armed rebellion by Puntland forces from Bari and Mudugh Regions with the assistance of forces from SSC, the so-called “Hiil Walaal” army to deter existential threat to Puntland State.

When the dust of such potential conflict settles, residents of Nugaal Region would be required to renegotiate for a political space and participation again in Puntland governance structures, but probably Garowe would lose its Capital status as a result.

Let us think now before we leap into the unknown.

By Ismail Haji Warsame | Former Chief of Staff of Puntland State Presidency | Warsame Digital Media | X: @ismailwarsame