Hiiraan Online
Sunday October 20, 2019
GAROWE(HOL)-Puntland has banned Federal lawmakers and ministers from opening political offices within its area of jurisdiction.
In a decree addressed to security agencies dated October 19, the state Ministry of Interior directed that no Federal MP or Minister will be allowed to open any office ‘until there is agreement Federal Government and Federal Member States agree on a new electoral model for 2020 election.”
“Federal lawmakers and Ministers will not be allowed to open any political office in the State until a consultative agreement is reached between the Federal Government the Federal Member States,” the decree read in part.Puntland now joins South West state in barring politicians from setting offices within their states though on different accounts. South West announced in August that opposition politicians would not be allowed to open party offices in Baidoa.
The move by South West received harsh criticism from the international community during the Somali Partnership Forum held in Mogadishu early this month.
“We need to acknowledge that in some parts of the country, it’s not possible to open a political party office and in some parts of the country journalists are getting arrested and that is not what we came here to do,” said UK ambassador to Somalia Ben Fender said.