Puntland's Deni issues bold warning to Hassan Sheikh amidst a heated election campaign

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Puntland's Deni issues bold warning to Hassan Sheikh amidst a heated election campaign

GAROWE (HORN OBSERVER) – In an impeccably organized event held on Thursday night in Garowe, President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland delivered a stern warning to Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

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During the Thursday campaign speech, President Deni asserted his candidacy for the 2024 Puntland State presidency.

GAROWE (HORN OBSERVER) – In an impeccably organized event held on Thursday night in Garowe, President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland delivered a stern warning to Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Accusing Mohamud of destabilizing the nation and fomenting clan conflicts against the people of Puntland and SSC-Khatumo, President Deni asserted his candidacy for the 2024 Puntland State presidency.

During his televised address covered extensively by local media, President Deni broached several sensitive topics, highlighting achievements from his tenure between 2019 and 2023.

He declared his commitment to the self-determination of the people of Khatumo, positioning it as a crucial aspect of his political agenda.

"Supporting the self-determination of the people of Khatumo is an integral part of my political program if I am re-elected,” affirmed President Deni.

He acknowledged Puntland’s financial contributions to the liberation of the Sool region, now under the leadership of SSC-Khatumo, emphasizing respect for the decisions and fate of those regions.

President Deni revealed the harsh sanctions imposed on Puntland by the federal government, led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, resulting in a freeze of international aid designated for Puntland in Mogadishu.

"I am telling the people of Puntland that Puntland has faced severe sanctions from the federal government, and international aid allocated for Puntland is stuck in Mogadishu because Hassan Sheikh wanted to impose his own influence which Puntland rejected,” he asserted.

"We don’t give out our fate for a few coins,” declared President Deni.

Warning to Djibouti conference

Denouncing the Djibouti meeting involving Hassan Sheikh, Ismail Geuleh, and Muse Bihi of Somaliland, President Deni insisted that any meeting excluding Puntland would not contribute positively to Somalia.

Addressing Hassan Sheikh directly, he proclaimed, "If you think you can proceed without Puntland, then you must know that we cannot be stopped either,” earning resounding applause from the audience.

President Deni also took aim at some presidential candidates, alleging financial backing from Hassan Sheikh’s regime in Mogadishu to install a preferred candidate in Puntland.

He reassured the people of Puntland, asserting their vigilance and resilience against manipulation.

Despite being the only stable state in Somalia, Puntland faces challenges in conducting direct elections, with clan elders advocating for a clan selection process over a one-person-one-vote system. The region is set to elect its parliament on January 8, with 66 lawmakers chosen by clan elders subsequently selecting the region’s president for the next five years.

Formed in 1998 during the civil war in Somalia, Puntland stands as a resilient entity amid political complexities and external pressures.