According to a report, an overhaul of Somalia’s constitution has handed the president more powers. Reportedly, a spokesperson for the semi autonomous region of Puntland said that the amendments risk worsening violence and has accused the president of using parliament to gather authority in to his hands, saying he is taking power from the state.
According to reports, the ongoing civil war in Somalia began in 1991 with resistance to the military government, the emergence of military groups exacerbated the situation. The u.n. who entered Somalia in 1992 in support of the government withdrew in 1995. Reportedly, millions of people have been displaced by fighting between factions and the army. According to the report, Puntland, one of Somalia’s five federal states was established as separate and self governing in 1998.
Reportedly, Puntland do not recognise the changes to the constitution, saying they were not allowed to participate in consultations – and they are not declaring independence but will stand alone until consulted; “Our government is federal which means powers are divided”.
According to the report, the amendments give the president the right to appoint and dismiss prime ministers and grant him increased control over appointments for the electoral commission, taking away imput from federal states.