Puntland picks 16 MPs in Bossaso after Deni barred ministers from race

According to Puntland SEIT, only two ex-MPs won re-election as the rest are fresh faces joining the next house. Gamal Mohamed Hassan, the current Somalia’s planning minister was barred from the contest.

News Keydmedia Online
5 March 2022

BOSSASO, Somalia - Sixteen new lawmakers have been elected in Bossaso city on Saturday, becoming members of Somalia's upcoming 11th parliament. These are 37 seats allocated to Puntland.

Clan delegates have cast their votes among 32 candidates vying for the Lower House seats with each MP wanting to win over 50 out of the 101 voters in accordance with the current electoral law in Somalia.

The indirect election didn’t take place in a transparent and fair manner after the projected candidates emerged victorious, who has been backed by the sitting Puntland president Said Abdullahi Deni.

According to Puntland SEIT, only two ex-MPs won re-election as the rest are fresh faces joining the next house. Gamal Mohamed Hassan, current Somalia’s planning minister was barred from the contest.

Hassan, who was a fierce critic of Deni joined a long list of Federal ministers from Mogadishu who were denied their rights to compete for parliamentary seats in their Puntland constituency due to the fallout.

The former Somali police commissioner Gen Bashir Ameriko, who was a close ally of Deni was elected as a new MP. He worked at Puntland presidency since losing job in Mogadishu.

The winners:

1. Mohamud Ahmed Aden
2. Abdiaziz Mohamed (Qambi).
3. Bashir Abdi Mohamed Ameriko
4. Marwo Abdi Bashir.
5. Muse Ahmed Ismail
6. Ali Mahdi Mohamed Qalato, replaces Minister Jamaal
7. Mohamed Bashir Ali
8. Ali Haji Dahir Saleban
9. Faisal Ahmed Mohamud
10. Saddam Mohamud Abdi
11. Said Ali Muse
12. Mohamed Adan Diini
13. Aynanshe Yusuf Hussein
14. Abdullahi Farah Mire
15. Ismail Shire Jama
16. Mohamed Abdi Mohamed

As Keydmedia Online reported early, Deni is eyeing the top Somali seat as he is preparing to run for president after getting a pledge of support from the United Arab Emirates [UAE], a rival of Qatar.

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