File Photo/Somali Times
Somalia’s Puntland Electoral Commission (PEC) has officially announced the schedule for the Puntland presidential election in 2024, which has been extended to President Said Deni.
A statement issued by the Puntland Elections Committee has announced that the Puntland Presidential and Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on February 25 of next year in 2024.
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“The Head-Banana Committee of Puntland Elections after consulting the political parties, civil society and other stakeholders has decided that the election of the President and the House of Representatives should be held simultaneously,” said the statement of the PEC.
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The Puntland Electoral Commission also said that voter registration has been reopened and will begin at the end of this year, especially in December.
The shortlisting of Candidates will start from December to January. While the election campaign will begin in February 2024, a few days before the time set by the Election Commission for the general election, as stated in the election schedule issued by the PEC.
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The schedule released by the PEC shows that the government’s tenure has been extended until Jan 8, 2024.
This schedule also comes at a time when there is a strong conflict between the government of President Deni and the opposition who are in dispute over the way the presidential election will be conducted by that administration.
Said Deni recently said that the 2024 election will be held by the system of person and vote, but this was opposed by the opposition politicians who want the election to be conducted as before.
The opposition is worried that Said Deni will lose his hand in the election of people and votes or use it as an excuse to make an extension period, as shown today in the schedule released by the Puntland Elections Committee, which has made Deni a passive extension period.