GAROWE, Somalia – Puntland declared on Sunday that it would withdraw its recognition of Somalia’s Federal Government, citing recent constitutional modifications as a violation of the country’s long-standing federal accord.
The shocking announcement comes after the Somali Federal Parliament passed revisions to Somalia’s constitution that have caused political turbulence and raised fears about national unity.
The essence of Puntland’s grievance is the Federal Government’s rejection of the 2012 Provisional Constitution and the implementation of new legislation, which Puntland claims favors certain interests and endangers the federal system. Puntland’s leadership has often cautioned that unilateral acts by the Federal leadership endanger the country’s unity and governance.
Puntland claims that these modifications contradict the underlying agreements of Somalia’s federal system, as contained in the Transitional Federal Constitution and the Puntland State Constitution.
The Federal State in northeastern Somalia said it maintains that its position is supported by constitutional provisions, such as Article 142 of the Transitional Federal Constitution, which protects the authority of previous governments until constitutions are harmonized. Article 4 of the Puntland Constitution also allows the area to reevaluate its relationship with the Federal Central Government, especially if the federal system is jeopardized.
The conflict is rooted in Somalia’s historic constitutional reforms, which have sparked disagreement among numerous political stakeholders. Puntland and other critics see the reforms, which change the power dynamics between the president and prime minister and introduce a multi-party system, as a move that threatens Somalia’s federal arrangement.
The president’s increased powers have generated concerns that a centralized authority may undermine the sovereignty of federal states such as Puntland.
