The 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.
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.
The Spin
Narrative A
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
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.
